Six Feet and Falling
by Saerry Snape
Summary: *Formerly Slytherin Girl* Shifters - those who can change shape with a thought - are only born every eighty years. But the daughter of a Shifter and a Death Eater shall change all that and the world with her...
1. Chapter 1 :: October 30, 1980 :: Outskir

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 1 :: October 30, 1980 :: Outskirts of Dublin, Ireland_

Overhead a storm brewed – thick, rolling black clouds that growled and spat forked lightning.  There was a tingle in the air, a cold tingle that felt of graveyards and tombstones.  Death was in the air.

Below the rolling clouds lay a manor house, sitting alone on the side of a hill.  Inside a raven-haired woman with golden eyes sang to her infant daughter.  Her voice was sweet, like an angel's, and carried outside on the wind.  The song itself was soft and flowing, written in a rich, ancient language that had almost been forgotten.  Peace surrounded the house and all its inhabitants – including the presence of three house elves.

But Death lurked outside.

The raven-haired woman took her daughter upstairs, still humming her tune, and laid the little girl in her cradle.  Eyelids fluttered and opened just enough so that a dark blue iris shone for a moment before vanishing.  The little girl sighed in contentment and the woman smiled, ruffling the downy black hair before returning downstairs.  She paused at the door and reached to her neck for the silver chair just visible there.  Taking it off, she slipped it into her daughter's blankets and bent to kiss the tiny forehead.

"Sakerii su'es banche, le terre."

The girl stirred slightly at these words – spoken in the same ancient language as the song – then rolled over, her thumb moving up to her mouth.  The woman smiled in a sad sort of way then left the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Just as she had reached the bottom of the stairs, the heavy oak doors at the front of the manor were blown off their hinges and landed not three feet away from her on either side.  Three figures in dark robes glided in, their faces hidden by stark white masks and the deep hoods of their cloaks.  The woman looked at each of them in turn then turned back to the leader.

"I was beginning to wonder when you would get here."

The leader smirked behind his mask and said, "You can't have known we were coming."

"Can I not?  Have you forgotten our school days so quickly?  I have the Sight."

"Trelawney said the same."

The woman laughed, dark and throaty.  "Prophecy!  Mere prophecy!  The woman must fake all else but her prophecies.  I – on the other hand – can see much, much more.  Do not deny it.  I have helped you many times before."

"I do not deny your – abilities, Lady.  I know their worth."

"Yet you have come to kill me."

The other two figures shifted nervously.

"It is the order of our master," said the leader in a half-monotone.  "Your death and your daughter's life."

"Try and take her, old friend.  You will find it is not as easy as you or your master may think."

"I believe it will be much easier than _you_ think.  _Crucio!_"

The woman crumpled to her knees, her face contorted in a grimace of pain.  But she did not scream.

"Scream for me, old friend.  Scream for mercy.  Beg for it at my feet."

"_Never_," spat the woman through clenched teeth.

"Macnair!"

"_Crucio!_"

One of the other robed figures added their wand to the leaders at the name.  The woman bowed towards the floor, teeth clenched tight against a scream.  She would not scream for their pleasure.  Never would she!  Blood dripped from between her lips were she had bitten her tongue.

"The girl, woman," cried the leader.  "Giver her to us and we will spare your life."

"_Go to hell!_"

"Avery!"

"_Crucio!_"

The last man added his curse to the other two and the woman collapsed, writhing in fierce pain on the floor.  But she did not scream.

"Enough."

The curses dissipated and the leader strode over to the woman, jerking up her head by the hair.  He bent close to her and whispered, "Give us the girl, my lovely.  Give her to us and you will live.  I may even let your precious Severus live a while longer as well."

Rowena O'Fillian-Snape lifted her amber eyes to the gray one's gleaming at her from behind the white mask and ripped it off, throwing it violently away.  She spat in Lucius Malfoy's face, her own twisted into a vicious snarl.

"Never," she hissed.

Lucius slapped her, sending her spinning to the floor then rose angrily to his feet.  He pointed his wand down at her, aimed it between her eyes, and snarled, "I tried to give you a chance, Rowena.  Now you'll die."

Rowena lifted her chin valiantly and spat, "As if I would have lived anyway."

"Bitch!"

"Bastard!  Keep your pity and your damned false promises!  Run back to your whore wife and your demon lord!  Back to your dragon-hearted son, who will abandon you in the end.  I promise you this, Lucius!  I have seen it.  You will die alone in the end, serving a master who cares nothing for you, with your wife abandoning you for another and your son forming an alliance with your enemy.  To Hell with you, old friend!  And take your Lord with you!"

Lucius' eyes narrowed and sparkled with a mad light as he spat, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

Green light enveloped Rowena and she crumpled, falling dead to the carpeted floor, eyes wide and glassy.  Lucius kicked her body aside then snarled to the other two Death Eaters, "Take her outside.  I want Severus to see his Shifter-bitch when he returns."  He started for the stairs then turned and added, "Oh, and burn the house when you're done."

The two men nodded and roughly picked up Rowena's limp body as Lucius mounted the stairs.  When he returned, he carried a bundle of scarlet cloth, a tuft of black hair poking up out of it.  E strode past the two Death Eaters, who were casting fire spells on various objects in the house, to the outside.

When the blaze grew and engulfed the manor house, Lucius drew his wand once more.

"_Morsmordre!_"

A huge glittering green skull with a serpent twisting out of its mouth rose out of his wand and into the air.  Smirking, he tucked his wand back up his sleeve and turned to the infant girl in his arms.

Dark blue eyes opened and peered curiously up at him before the girl sniffled then began to wail.  It was as though she knew her mother lay dead on the ground not ten feet away under a weeping willow.

Lucius rocked her gently and made soothing noises.

"Shh, little one.  You're going to have a new home.  Won't that be fun?"

The little girl sniffled again and looked at the burning manor, her wails ceasing.  Lucius smirked and slipped his mask back over his face.

"Say goodbye to your past, Sheyne Snape.  Say hello to your future."

He turned to his two companions and said, "Our work here is done."

And with that they Disapparated.

* * *

A dark-haired man shoved his way through the crowd gathered around the ruins of what had once been a great manor house.  The glittering green serpent and skull of the Dark Mark hung over then all, still shining as brightly as when it had been cast.

"Move, fool!  Merlin's beard, MOVE!"

"Sir," said a young Auror, stepping forward.  He looked to be only eighteen or so.  Fresh out of Hogwarts and green around the edges.  Also too tight on protocols.  "Sir, you can't come through."

The dark-haired man's jet colored eyes flashed fire as he angrily jabbed a finger at the ruined home.

"Can't come through?  That's my _house_, damn you!"

The Auror blinked.

"You're Severus Snape?"

_You were expecting the Tooth Fairy?_

"Yes, damn your ignorant head.  Now…let – me – THROUGH!"

"Please wait for m superior, sir."

"_Superior?_  I am not going to wait for you bloody superior!  I want through!  My wife and daughter were in there, damnit!"

"I'm sorry, sir," said the Auror in the same calm time he'd been using the entire time.

"Sorry?  _Sorry?!_  I'll bloody show you sorry!"

A fist connected solidly with the young Auror's jaw, sending him spinning to the ground in blissful unconsciousness.  Severus Snape stepped over the Auror with a sneer, deliberately trodding hard on the man's hand.  He looked around for a face he recognized and found one in William Tairn.  The younger man had been his partner when Severus had still been an Auror.

"William!"

"Severus?"

William stared at him in shock as Severus strode over to him, eyes flashing.

"What in Merlin's name happened?"

"Death Eater's."

"I know _that_.  Any fool with eyes can see the Dark Mark.  Where's Rowena, man?"

William looked Severus in the face without looking at his eyes (a very hard trick to do) then turned away.  Something with long claws and fangs laid a hold on Severus' heart, squeezing it in a scaly paw.  He grabbed William's shoulder and said, "Tell me she's not.  Please, Will…"

"She's dead, Severus."

The creature took a rather large bite of Severus' heart, laughing gleefully.  He swallowed hard, fighting against the grief already flooding his system.  He couldn't break down.  Not here.  Not now.

"Shey?"

William didn't respond.

"Will, did you find Shey?"

Still no response.

"William, for _God's sake_, man, did you find Sheyne?"

William didn't look at him as he shook his head and replied, "No.  No, we didn't find her."

The long clawed beast sliced Severus' heart in two with a savage snarl, laughing in a maniacal fashion that reminded Severus far too much of the monster he had pledged loyalty to then betrayed.  He began to shiver violently and closed his eyes, trying to get a hold on himself.  Breaking down was not an option.  But revenge was.  Dark thoughts of slowly killing Voldemort and whoever had murdered his wife and possibly his daughter circulated through his mind.  Oh, what sweet thoughts those were.

"Sev?"

William's voice cut through his dark thoughts and he opened his eyes to look at his old partner.

"I'm sorry, Sev.  Maybe if we'd posted that guard like Rowena wanted…"

Severus waved a hand, cutting William off.  He could not bear to hear his wife's name now.

"Its too late now, Will.  Far too late."

William nodded slowly then whispered, "Why would they do this, Sev?  Far as they know your still one of them."

Severus shrugged, trying to focus his thoughts on that question instead of his dark thoughts of vengeance or his grief.

"I don't know, Will.  Maybe there's a spy on our side.  I just don't know."

A tear leaked out of Severus' eye, slipping past the thick walls he had built around his emotions.  He brushed it away quickly, trying not to let William see.  The younger man did see but didn't say anything, only looked sympathetically at his friend.

"C'mon, Sev," he said, touching the other man's arm.  "You can stay at our house for a while."

Severus shook his head and said, "No.  Hogwarts.  I have to talk to Albus."

William looked rebellious for a moment then nodded.

"Hogwarts it is."

* * *

Severus climbed out of William's Muggle car as it came to a halt at the Hogwarts gates.  The car was charmed in the same fashion as the Knight Bus but the magically charmed and heavily warded gates of Hogwarts would not move before it as they would not move before the Knight Bus.

William leaned across the seats and asked, "Are you sure your alright, Sev?  I could stay…"

Severus shook his head, mentally propping up the slowly crumbling walls about his grief.  He said as calmly as he could, "I'll be fine, Will.  Go home.  Miranda will be worried if you don't."  His voice cracked here and William winced.

"Sev…" he began but was cut off when Severus slammed the car door shut.  William winced again and looked wistfully after his friend and old partner as the dark-robed wizard stalked hurriedly up to the Hogwarts gates and placed his hand against them.  The gates opened at a word and he walked through, the gates swinging shut behind him.  William sat and watched him until Severus disappeared into the fine mist that had come into the air then sighed heavily, putting the rust red Ford Anglia into gear and driving off.

* * *

"How is he, Poppy?"

"Fine as far as I can tell.  For once he doesn't have a Cruciatus overdose, thank Merlin.  But mentally – that I am not so sure of…"

"Rowena's death hit him hard."

"Plus his little girl…  Oh, Merlin, Albus, why would they have taken that sweet little girl?"

Albus Dumbledore shook his head wearily and looked towards the bed where Severus lay tossing in dark dreams of green skulls, black smoke, and high-pitched laughter.

"I don't know, Poppy.  I truly do not know."


	2. Chapter 2 :: July 31, 1995 :: London, En

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 2 :: July 31, 1995 :: London, England_

"Shey!  Shey, wake up!"

"Uhn…"

The loud voice of Amanda Outlaw carried up the stairs to her daughter's bedroom.  The figure sprawled across the bed in said room lifted its head and pushed rumpled black hair back from bleary eyes.

"SHEYNE!"

Sheyne Snape staggered out of bed, threw open her door, and bellowed back, "WHAT?!"

"Get down here!  NOW!"

"All righ'!"

Sheyne slammed her door shut and ran a hand through her rumpled hair again.  She was now officially fifteen but felt as though she was still nine, as that was the way her mother treated her.  At fifteen, Sheyne was five foot nine with her raven-black hair cut to just below her ears, naturally pale skin, and eyes of an unnatural shade of amber.  She practically towered over her five foot nothing mother and father.  Only her younger brother Stephen could halfway match her height at five foot five.

"SHEY!"

"I'm coming for God's sake!  Bloody chill out!"

Sheyne shucked off the baggy shirt she had slept in an pulled a shirt at random from her dresser.  It turned out to be a tight black that had "Don't shoot!  I have a fork!" splayed across it in green lettering.  She shoved her legs into a pair of low-rise blue jeans, ignoring the fact that her mother would yell at her for showing off an inch of her midriff, and stamped her feet into a pair of combat boots.  Running a hand through her errant hair, she glanced once in the full-length mirror across the room, snorted at her reflection, then threw open her door and headed downstairs.

"Shey!"

Sheyne clamped her hands over her ears (she had always seemed to have sharper senses than most people) and snarled savagely, "I'm right here, woman.  No need to shout."

"Don't you talk to me that way, young lady," said Amanda, turning to wave the wooden spoon she was holding threateningly at her adopted daughter.  "Now sit down and eat."

Sheyne sat.  She looked at the otherwise empty kitchen table and asked, "Where's Dad and Ste?"

"Wrapping your presents."

Sheyne snorted at that.

"Those two could wrap a birthday present if somebody wrapped it for them."

"Oh, ye of little faith," said Michael Outlaw with a grin as he entered the kitchen, juggling a stack of presents in his arms.  Fourteen-year-old Stephen Outlaw followed him, equally weighed down with packages.  The two of them plunked the wrapped boxes down on the table before collapsing into chairs.  Sheyne leaned forward and plucked at a loose piece of wrapping.

"Newspaper.  How ingenious.  The comic-strip no less."

"Sod off on your sarcasm, Shey," growled Stephen.  Amanda whirled and boxed him on the ear with her spoon.

"None of that language in this house, young man."

"Aw, Mum…"

"Don't you 'Aw, Mum…' me, Stephen Tobias Outlaw.  And you stop snickering."  This last was to Sheyne, who was smirking at her younger brother, who stuck his tongue out at her in retaliation.  Amanda tapped the both of them with her spoon and snapped, "Behave."

Sheyne rubbed at her shoulder where the spoon had hit and scowled at her mother.  Across the table, Stephen shuddered.  He was scared to death of his older sister – be she adopted or not – when she did that.  It was enough to scare anyone shitless.

Except for their mother, that is.

"Don't you give me that look, Shey.  Or no cake!"

Sheyne's scowl immediately faded and the cold look that had gleamed in her amber eyes was replaced by a starkingly innocent one.  Another thing to marvel at in the girl.  She could turn from icy to warm in an instant.

"No cake?" she whimpered, pouting.

Amanda Outlaw melted, her glare fading away.

"Shey," she scolded in a loving tone, "you know I can't resist when you do that."  Her green eyes were filled with amusement as she opened the icebox for a carton of ice cream.

Sheyne smiled.

"Why else, dead Mother, do you think I do it?"

"My devilish little girl," remarked Michael Outlaw, reaching over to ruffle Sheyne's short hair.

"Enough," said Amanda, carrying a plate with a cake on it over from the counter.  She placed it on the table, ordering Stephen to get plates and her husband to get the forks.  As soon as the four plates were plunked on the table, she cut the thick chocolate cake with a knife and dished out the pieces.

* * *

Outside the house stood two figures in black robes, white masks and deep hoods covering their faces.  The taller of the two rumbled, "We should do it now!"

The shorter one fidgeted nervously before speaking in a feeble, quivering voice.

"But Lucius…"

"Damn Lucius!  Our Master told us to get the girl.  I don't intend to fail him just because of Malfoy's fucking whimsies!"

"I assure you my whimsies are much more profound than _this_, William."

The two whirled to face another figure in the same garb as they.  Eyes the color of steel gleamed from behind the stark white mask that shone under the hood.  The figure said smoothly, "Our Master put _me_ in charge of this task, William.  _You_ would have charged in and had Aurors on you in minutes."

William Macnair growled and clenched his fists, glaring coldly at Lucius Malfoy from behind his mask.  But Lucius simply said casually, "Be calm, William.  We will act soon enough.  Our Master wants this girl.  And he shall have her."

_And there is nothing Severus can do about it_, added Lucius silently to himself, smirking satisfactorily behind his mask.

* * *

Somewhere else outside the house, a man with greasy, shoulder-length black hair and jet eyes garbed in a worn, black leather jacket, dark green t-shirt, and rather worn looking blue jeans stood in the shadow of a tree.  He held a slim piece of dark wood in one hand and a polished silver mirror in the other.  Anyone who had seen him would have though him very odd.  But no one did.

Severus Snape looked down at the mirror, watching as mist swirled across the charmed glass.  He just hoped no one in the Auror Division kept an eye on when Locator Mirror's were made.  If they did…he had to work fast.

The mist began to clear and Severus gasped, heart pounding in his ears.  Framed in the tiny confines of the mirror was a face he had not seen in life in fourteen years.  He had seen it in his dreams – and nightmares.  Those amber eyes haunted him.  Just like those green one's.

But this wasn't his long dead wife in the glass, her mouth turned up in a satisfied smirk.  This was the daughter he had been searching fourteen years for.  The daughter many thought was dead.

She was the image of her mother: the unnatural amber eyes, the nose, the dainty mouth, the curved shape of her face.  Her hair was his own – as it would be did he care to care for it, flyaway and jutting out in wild spikes.  Much like Potter's.  She had his naturally pale skin as well.  And that smirk – ah, that was the Snape smirk.

Severus leaned back against the tree he stood beside, grateful for it being there.  Else he would have collapsed.

Merlin's beard, he had found her.


	3. Chapter 3 :: July 31, 1995 :: London, En

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 3 :: July 31, 1995 :: London, England_

Sheyne was just reaching for one of the presents piled on the floor beside the kitchen table when the door leading into the kitchen from outside was blown off its hinges.  Part of the wall went with it and then three figures in long black robes with deep hoods filled the gap, a length of smooth wood gripped in each of them's right hands.  Sheyne could just make out a stark white mask under the hoods.  The center figure was obviously the leader as he snapped,  "Kill the Muggles.  I'll get the girl."

"No!" screamed Amanda, throwing herself in front of Stephen.  The taller of the two figures flanking the center lifted his stick – _wand_, corrected some part of Sheyne's mind that remembered her fantasy books – and spoke words in a language none of them could identify.  There was a flash of green light and Amanda Outlaw went down in a boneless heap, dead before she struck.

Michael Outlaw charged forward, bellowing a wordless challenge, but he fell dead from the same green light.  Sheyne watched in horror as the short man pointed his wand, his hand encased in what appeared to be a shimmering silver glove, at her brother.  Sure he was annoying and not really related to her, but he had been her little brother for all fourteen years of his life and she wasn't going to let him die!

"_No!_" she screamed and leapt in front of him, pushing him behind her.

"_Ava…_"

"No, you fool!"  The leader struck the short man, throwing him to the floor.

"Wormtail, I'll have your _head_ if you harm the girl.  Our lord wants her _alive_, not as a corpse.  He wouldn't take lightly to you killing her, now would he?"

"N-n-no, Lucius," stuttered the man called Wormtail.

"_Idiot!  CRUCIO!_"

Stephen covered her ears as Wormtail writhed in pain, screaming.  Sheyne watched it with a sort of wonder then noticed the other man coming towards them.  Grabbing Stephen's arm tightly, she yelled, "Run!"

"Get them!"

The man lunged at them and Sheyne threw Stephen behind her again.  A feral snarl bubbled out of her throat and for one moment a black panther stood in her place.  With a cry, the masked man stumbled back and Sheyne hauled Stephen to his feet, her mind whirling.  She did not notice the pendant underneath her shirt humming with warmth.

They burst out of the house and ran for the trees.  Behind them they could hear the sound of Lucius bellowing.

"Macnair!  You let her get away and I'll have you intestines for my bootlaces and your head on a platter for our Master!"

The man who had been chasing them tore out of the house and after them.  Stephen yelped in panic and clung to Sheyne's arm, whimpering.  Sheyne grabbed his shoulder and hauled him up with a strength she didn't know she had, cursing fluently as she did so.

Suddenly, a hand reached out of the dense bushes to her left and grabbed her arm, hauling her and Stephen into them with one sharp tug.  Sheyne snarled and let loose a kick at the person, only to have it easily deflected and herself hauled to the ground in an almost wrestling style move.

"Quiet, girl," hissed a voice in her head.  "Boy, hush.  I won't let them take either of you.  Quiet now.  Here he comes."

Sheyne and Stephen crouched with the stranger in the bushes, watching as Macnair came searching for them and found nothing.  The man cursed and returned to the house as Stephen began to softly sob.  Sheyne prodded the man gently and he looked down at her once before letting her up.  She immediately moved over to Stephen, pulling the younger boy into her arms, eyes flashing as she silently vowed revenge on the three men who had killed – no – _murdered_ their parents.

The stranger suddenly touched her shoulder and said gently, "I am truly sorry for you loss, but we _must_ leave here.  You two are not safe here."  Sheyne nodded and he drew a battered book from inside his jacket.  Sheyne managed to read the title (The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkein) before the book was shoved into her hand.  His jet eyes bored into her amber as he said, "Hold onto your brother tightly and this book equally."

Sheyne frowned at him in confusion but clutched the book, tightening her grip on Stephen and pulling him closer to her.  She felt a tug at her navel and heard Stephen cry out in surprise.  But her eyes remained locked on the stranger's face until it vanished and was replaced by the smiling countenance of an old man with a long white beard.  Blue eyes twinkled behind half-moon glasses as he took the book from her then held out his other hand.  She took it and he pulled both her and Stephen to their feet.  He didn't look like he could have managed that.

"Welcome, Miss Snape, Mr. Outlaw.  Welcome – to Hogwarts."


	4. Chapter 4 :: July 31, 1995 :: Somewhere

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 4 :: July 31, 1995 :: Somewhere in the Welsh Highlands_

"So – magic is real?"

"Quite real, Miss Snape.  In fact, you have it."

Sheyne blinked at the old man, who had introduced himself as Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  They not sat in his office, having installed a fainted Stephen in the Hospital Wing with – oh, what had he called her? – ah, Madam Pomfrey.

"Me, sir?  Surely not."

Dumbledore looked at her over his half-moon spectacles.  "Are you so sure?"

Sheyne frowned and began to nod.  But not before she remembered what had happened when Macnair had come at her and Stephen.  She could still remember the feel of being in that panther body.  And then there had been that incident in her sixth year at Hartshire.  She had thrown a boy three times her size across the dining hall without touching him when he had been about to punch Stephen, who had only been five at the time but still remembered the incident.

Dumbledore smiled warmly, blue eyes twinkling.

Sheyne shook her head and said, "That doesn't prove anything, sir."

"Ah, but it does, my dear.  If something truly strange happened to you – something than cannot be explained – it is magic."

Sheyne looked at the old wizard for a moment, the pendant underneath her shirt pulsing with warmth for a second, then said stiffly, "I'd like to go see my brother."

"As you wish.  I'll lead you…"

Dumbledore trailed off as there was a knock at the door and the man who had saved Sheyne and Stephen entered, still dressed in the same clothes but looking a little worse for wear.

"Albus, I…"

He trailed off as he saw Sheyne sitting there, her amber eyes turned towards him.  He paled to chalk-white and swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.  "I'll come back later."

Dumbledore lifted a hand and said, "No, no, Severus, stay.  I was just about to show Miss Snape to the Hospital Wing but as you're here, you can take her.  But please do tell me what is so urgent first."

"O-of course, Albus."  _Damn that crafty old man!_

"Good, good.  Miss Snape, would you mind waiting outside for a moment?"

"Of course not, sir.  Excuse me, sir."  This was to Severus as Sheyne rose, moving past him out into the stairwell.  As soon as her footsteps stopped echoing through the door, Dumbledore spoke, casting an Anti-Eavesdropping Charm just in case.

"The Outlaw's?"

"Dead.  The Ministry is taking care of it.  I managed to collect their things without being spotted."

"We were lucky they only managed to do that much harm," said Dumbledore.  "If they had taken her…  Ah, she looks so much like her mother…"

Severus' lips pressed into a thin line and he said in a rough, tight voice, "Yes.  She does.  Excuse me, Albus."

The younger man turned on his heel and left the office, causing Dumbledore to sigh heavily.

He should never have mentioned Rowena.

* * *

Sheyne sat at the base of the spiral staircase that led up to Dumbledore's office.  One foot propped up on the bottom step upon which she sat, she reached to her neck and tugged at the silver chain there.  Out it came, revealing a round stone at the end the size of a robin's egg.  The stone was a deep, flawless royal blue with veins of green twisting through its center like bolts of lightning.  As she held it, the stone warmed, filling her with the same warmth.

At the same time the last moments of her adoptive parents played through her mind.  They had given her everything, a home, love – love as though she _was_ their daughter, a daughter of flesh and blood not simple writing on paper.  And they had given her her father's name, the name that had been written on the sheet of paper tucked into her blankets when she'd been left on their doorstep, the name that she might use one day to find her real parents.

God, they had been good to her.

Tears pricked at her eyes but Sheyne brushed her away, refusing to let them fall.  Should she let them, she feared they would never stop.  And she could not cry in front of Stephen.  She had to be strong, for both of them.

A hand suddenly fell gently onto her shoulder and Sheyne looked up, letting the smooth stone fall from her hand back down into her shirt.

It was the man – Severus, Dumbledore had called him – peering down at her.

"Sir?"

"I'm to take you to the Hospital Wing," said the man.  Sheyne noticed the tightness in his voice.  Something had upset him…

"Yes, sir."

Sheyne rose to her feet and followed the man as he walked out of the stairwell past the stone gargoyle that had moved aside at a touch.

* * *

"Severus, I'm telling you to take that girl up to one of the teacher's room.  That boy will be asleep for another five hours!"

"You gave him Dreamless Sleep Potion?"

"And a Sleeping Potion!  I suggest the girl get some as well."  Madam Pomfrey leaned forward, eyes darting to the bed where Sheyne sat on a stool looking down at Stephen before coming back to Severus.  She laid a gentle hand on his arm and whispered, "You shouldn't wait too long to tell her, you know.  She may look a great deal like…"  Pomfrey paused here, then continued, "But she looks like you as well.  Your cheekbones I think."

That brought a slightly smile to Severus' lips as he whispered back, "Thankfully not my nose."

Pomfrey smiled in return and tapped the mentioned member with a finger.  Severus did not blink or sound out any indignation.  He and Poppy Pomfrey had been friends for years.  In fact, the mediwitch had introduced him to Rowena…

"I think that great honk of yours is quite dashing," said Pomfrey in a teasing tone.

Severus snorted softly, careful not to alert Sheyne to their conversation.

"On me perhaps.  Not on anyone else."

"I daresay not!  Now, you escort that child up to a room and give her these."  Pomfrey handed him the tiny vials of the two potions, each enough for one dose.  "And you make sure she takes them."

"Of course, Poppy."

"And remember to tell her."

"I will, Poppy."

Pomfrey sighed and patted his hand before walking over to Sheyne.  She placed her hands on the girl's shoulders and whispered in her ear.  The mediwitch was a half-inch shorter than the tall girl but could tilt her head back enough to make it to her ear.  Sheyne nodded slightly and Pomfrey led her over to Severus, nodding to him.  He nodded slightly in return and gently took Sheyne's arm.

"Come, child," he said gently.  "I'll show you where you can get some rest."

Sheyne nodded, turning her head once to look at Stephen's sleeping form, then let him lead her out.  They walked down two different corridors before they reached the place they needed.  The professors quarters were a hidden part of the castle, only reachable through a Traveling Mirror placed in the Entrance Hall.

Severus pulled Sheyne towards the mirror, reaching one hand out to touch the pattern of runes on the left side of the frame.  There was a brief glow from the runes then the surface of the mirror shimmered.  Sheyne pulled back slightly but Severus gave her a reassuring look.

"Its safe," he murmured, pushing her gently towards the mirror.  "Just step through."

When the fifteen-year-old looked rebellious, he took her hand, squeezing her fingers reassuringly.

"Don't worry, child.  I have you."

Sheyne looked at him and Severus' breath quickened.  Rowena was gazing at him out of those amber orbs but so was his daughter.  And trusted him, even though she knew not that she was his child.  With a nod, she stepped through and Severus followed her.

On the other side she let out a laugh, her fingers tightening against his own.

"See," said Severus, smiling down at her.  "Nothing to it."

Sheyne smiled and repeated, "Nothing to it."

Severus continued to gaze down at her for a moment then led her down the hall until he reached the room he knew would be empty.  It was the room he would have occupied had he not insisted on making his residence down in the dungeons.

Opening the door with the password that had been placed on it, he led Sheyne inside.  At another word, the sconces on the walls burst into argent light, followed by the fireplace.  Sheyne stared around at the room and breathed, "Its beautiful."

Indeed the room was.  The furniture was all old, darkly polished wood with deep green satin seats and backs.  The walls were all dark stone, covered with tapestries in deep black's, muddy brown's, blood red's, shimmering silver's, and pulsating green's.   There was a roll-top desk in one corner, made of the same dark wood as the chair.  All in all it _was_ a fine room.

"This way," said Severus, pulling Sheyne from the main room into the bedroom.  Much was the same in there.  The bed was also of old, dark wood, its sheets and pillows and coverlet all dyed a deep green with silver edges.  _A room for a Slytherin_, thought Severus bitterly.

Sheyne pulled away from him to run her hands over the blanket.  She sat down on the bed, looking up at him and asked, "Is all this for me?"

"Until the new term starts in September.  Then you will be placed in a House.  We will talk of that later.  Now, you must follow Madam Pomfrey's instructions and rest."

"I don't think I can rest after all this."

Severus held out the two tiny vials.  "That is why we have these.  This one – " he held up the Dreamless Sleep Potion " – will keep away any dreams or nightmares.  And this one – "  he held up the other vial " – will help you sleep.  Here, take the Dreamless Sleep one first."

He handed the vial to Sheyne and she took it, looking at him once before pulling out the cork and downing it.  Immediately she grimaced.  Severus smiled slightly.

"Yes, it _is_ quite bitter but the effects are marvelous.  Now, this one."

Sheyne swallowed the Sleep Potion in the same manner as she had swallowed the other and handed him back the vial.  She yawned and suddenly collapsed, nearly sliding off the bed.  Severus caught his daughter in a well-practiced move.  Rowena had often needed Sleep Potion herself.  He had learned to catch her after the first three times she had fallen off the bed.

Propping the girl up in a nearby chair, Severus pulled back the sheets then turned and removed Sheyne's boots, placing them by the head of the bed.  He then picked her up, feeling himself filled with warmth as she curled in towards his chest in his arms.  God, she was beautiful…  Just like her mother.

Severus laid her down on the bed and pulled the sheets over her, stroking back a lock of errant hair.  He let his hand cup his daughter's cheek for a moment then gathered the vials and left.  Pausing in the door to look once back at her, he smiled – not the small smiles he usually used, but a full-lipped smile.  Closing the door, he placed a charm on it that would alert him when Sheyne woke then left the apartment, a slight bounce in his step that had not been there for a long while. 


	5. Chapter 5 :: August 3, 1995 :: Somewhere

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 5 :: August 3, 1995 :: Somewhere in the Welsh Highlands_

"Repeat the Houses to me."

"Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."

"Good.  And the Hogwarts Founders?"

"Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin."

"Excellent."

Over the last three days, Severus had been teaching Sheyne all there was to know about the wizarding world.  She was a quick learner (_Like her mother_, thought Severus) and kept facts in her head, which was a talent he had but used for potions ingredients.

"Sir?" asked Sheyne suddenly.

"Yes, child?"  He continually called her 'child' and Sheyne had not made any objections to it.

"Is my brother a wizard?"

Severus frowned.

"No, I am afraid not."

"How do you know?"

"He is fourteen, correct?  Yes, well, children who have the – ah – _gift_ receive a letter of acceptance from Hogwarts at age eleven.  The Headmaster's phoenix Fawkes is also a good judge of whether a child has the gift or not.  Twice Fawkes judged your brother, twice he deemed him unable to perform magic.  Young Stephen is a Muggle."

"Non-wizard folk."

"Yes."

"So – he'll have to go to an orphanage?"

Severus paled slightly.

"By no means!  No, no, child, he will not.  I assure you of that.  Especially as those men."

"Lucius, Wormtail, and Macnair."

"Yes…those three – are not after him as well as you."

"Why _were_ they after me?"

_Oh hell_, thought Severus.  _Now comes the time where I must tell her._

"Ah – well…"

"There you are Severus!"

The two of them looked up from where they'd been seat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall to see Minerva McGonagall striding towards them.  Despite the general rivalry between their Houses, Severus and the Gryffindor Head of House had always gotten along.

"Good morning, Minerva.  What might you be looking for me for?"

"Poppy wanted to know if you happened to have any Cheering Potion brewed.  She seems to have run out."

"Tell her she had only to tap the shelf that is empty and call out the potion she needs and it will refill itself."  Severus smirked slightly and continued, "Tell her I charmed that cabinet to take whatever she asks for from my cabinet in my lab.  Except for the dangerous things."

McGonagall smiled.  "Poppy will be please."  She then smiled at Sheyne and said, "Good morning, my dear.  Having fun talking to our grumpy Potions Master?"

"I am not grumpy," defended Severus at the same time Sheyne spoke.

"I find the professor quite good company, Professor McGonagall."

"Very good child.  Very few find our Professor Snape good company."  McGonagall did not notice as Severus paled and Sheyne stared hard at him.  "Ta ta."

As soon as she left the hall, Severus turned to face Sheyne.  The girl was eyeing him oddly.  It was a while before either of them spoke.  And when they did, Sheyne spoke first.

"Professor _Snape?_"

"That is indeed my name."

Sheyne frowned slightly then whispered, "So – so, _you're_ my father."

Severus looked into her eyes and nodded.

"Yes, child."

There was a moment of silence then Sheyne flung herself out of her seat beside him and onto him, throwing her arms about his neck and burying her face in his chest.

"Papa…"

Severus felt tears in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around his child, eyes turning towards the ceiling, the illusion upon it showing clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds highlighted in gold from the sun.

_I have finally found our daughter, my Rowena.  How I wish you could see her._


	6. Chapter 6 :: September 1, 1995 :: King’s

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 6 :: September 1,, 1995 :: King's Cross Station, London, England and Hogwarts_

Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley met up outside of King's Cross Station, greeting each other with grins.  Ron flushed slightly and Hermione held back the urge to giggle at the tall, gangly boy.  The Granger's chatted with the Weasley's for a moment before heading off, leaving their daughter in the care of the red-haired family.

Shoving carts into a line, they hurried into the station and through the barrier to Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters.

"Hurry, dears, or you'll be late!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley.

"Where's Harry?" asked Ron, looking around the platform suddenly for his friend.

"I'm sure he's on the train," said Mr. Weasley in a voice that neither Ron nor Hermione – who was standing nearby – believed.  He and Mrs. Weasley then ushered them onto the train and waved goodbye as it set into gear.

"Well," said Fred.  "That's that.  C'mon, George.  We'll leave the Dastardly Gryffindors to find themselves a cab."

"Righto."

The Weasley twins ambled off, Ron shaking his fist after them.  Hermione pulled his arm down and said, "C'mon.  Let's go find a cab.  You coming, Ginny?"

Ginny looked up in surprise then nodded and with that the three of them set off.

* * *

When they finally found a cab, it was occupied by a boy then had never seen before.  He looked fifteen and it seemed that if he were standing he'd be even taller than Ron.  Jet hair fell to his shoulders, curling slightly at the tips, and with what seemed to be red highlights in it.  He was unnaturally pale, the hands folded in his lap long and nimble-fingered.  When he turned to look at them as Ginny coughed, it was with the most brilliant green eyes that any of them had ever seen.  _Not even Harry's eyes are like that_, thought Hermione, remembering how green her friend's eyes were.  His face was also long, the cheekbones high and his eyes in an almost almond shape, eyebrows arching gracefully over them.

To their surprise, a smile broke over the teen's face as he saw them.  They were even more surprised when he spoke their names in a silky sort of voice.

"Hey, Ron, Mione, Gin."

"How do you know our names?" snapped Ron after a moment of confused staring.

The boy frowned at them, obviously confused.

"How would I not?  C'mon, you guys, it's me.  _Harry._"

"_HARRY?!_" gasped the three Gryffindors standing in the doorway.

Harry ran his hand nervously back through his hair, revealing the lightning bolt scar on his forehead that had made him famous.  He looked up at them, eyes wide, and asked softly, "Have I really changed that much?"

Hermione nodded, sidling into the cab to settle down beside her friend.  She stared up at him for a moment then nodded.

"Yeah.  You've changed a lot."

"A lot's an understatement," muttered Ron as he entered the cab, moving aside so Ginny could come in.  He closed the door just as Draco Malfoy walked by, pulling down the shade with a snarl.  Then, he turned back to his friend.

"Harry, mate, what'd you do?"

"I didn't do _anything_," replied Harry in a surly tone.  "It just _happened_."

"When?" asked Hermione.

"On my birthday."

"How odd…" said the bushy-haired girl, leaning back into the seat.

Harry chuckled, running his hand through his hair again then twirling the length of dark hair into an instantly unwinding tail.

"You have no idea."

* * *

"Papa.  Papa, why can't I just be Sorted before the first years?"

Severus Snape sighed and smiled down at his daughter.

"Because that is the way it has always been done, child.   And your Housemates would be rather confused to have a new student among their midst."

Sheyne smiled and said, "Good point, Papa."

"I _always_ make good points, Shey.  How is Stephen?"

"Ste?  Pretty good.  He's still a bit shaky over Mu – the Outlaw's deaths."

Severus turned to his daughter and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Shey, you can call them what you want.  They were your parents for fourteen years.  Don't let those memories die just because you've found me and they're gone."

"Yes, Papa."  Tears pricked at Sheyne's eyes.

"Come here, child," said Severus, pulling the girl into his arms and holding her until the tears dried and she pulled back away from him.

"Thank you, Papa."

"I am always a shoulder to cry on, child.  Now…go and get ready for that Sorting of yours."

"Yes, Papa!"

Sheyne dashed out of the room, causing Severus to shake his head in amusement.

* * *

"Firs' years!  Firs' years over 'ere!  Ye alrigh' there, 'Arry?"

Harry swelled with warmth.  Thank Merlin, _someone_ still recognized him!  He waved enthusiastically to Hagrid, giving the half-giant a thumbs-up.  Hagrid beamed in response then turned to the milling first years.

"Were we ever that small?" said Ron in a bemused tone as he eyed the first years.

"Harry was smaller," Hermione said with a grin at her now towering friend.

"I was not short.  I was lacking height," said Harry, lifting his chin slightly.

"Same thing!" cried Ron and Hermione, causing Harry to frown at them.  Ginny jumped slightly as he did so.

"C'mon!  Let's get a carriage and hurry up to the castle.  I'm starved!"

Harry laughed as he climbed into a carriage after Ron, ducking his head to avoid hitting the ceiling.  "You're always starving!" he said good-naturedly.

"I'm a growing boy," said Ron in such a tone that it set the four of them into a fit of giggles.

After the jolting ride up the hill, the four of them scrambled out of the horse-less carriage and up the steps into the entrance hall.  Harry's gaze once flicked across the lawn to the Quidditch pitch and grief flashed across his face.  By the time Hermione noticed it, it was gone.  But now she made herself a reminder to keep an eye on her friend.

Soon they were sitting and the Sorting had begun.  The song was sung and the first years Sorted and Ron had eagerly picked up his knife and fork when Dumbledore made a surprising announcement.

"This year we have a new student, recently transferring from the Salem Academy in America.  She will be a fifth year and I hope her House members will treat her with respect."

"Now…may I introduce Miss Sheyne Snape."

* * *

"_Snape?_"

"Snape has a daughter?"

"I didn't know the slimy git had it in him."

"How can she stand him?"

"I wonder what she looks like."

"_Snape?_"

"Here she comes!"

* * *

Sheyne and Stephen stood in a small room adjacent to the Great Hall.  The girl was watching her nimble-fingered hands as they shook from fright.  Then her eyes widened as Dumbledore called out her name.

"Oh shit!"

Stephen smiled warmly up at her and piped, "You can do it, Sheynie."

Sheyne smiled back and swept her adopted little brother up into a tight hug.

"Thanks, Ste."

Stephen simply smiled and Sheyne grasped the doorknob, grinning nervously at the fourteen-year-old, before stepping out into the hall.

* * *

"Well," said Fred, "didn't except that."

Harry chuckled softly as Hermione glared at Ron, who was staring at the dark-haired girl striding across the hall to McGonagall and the Sorting Hat.  He looked at Snape to see the man's reaction to his daughter's entrance, but – as usual – Snape's usual sneer was plastered on his face.

Shaking his head, Harry turned back just as Sheyne sat down and the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

* * *

The Hat covered her eyes, which was rather good as Sheyne was ready to hex everyone who was staring at her.

"_Not a good idea, my dear.  House points taken on Sorting Night?  No, no, no._"

Sheyne twitched in surprise then remembered her father telling her about the Sorting Hat.

"_Yes, your father.  Severus Sadiron Snape, Slytherin, started 1970.  A rather bright minded boy_."

Sheyne chuckled and thought, _Bright minded MAN, too._

Now the Sorting Hat chuckled.

"_How true, my dear.  Ah!  And your mother.  Rowena Elsie O'Fillian, Gryffindor, started 1971.  A lass with a mind as brilliant as your father's.  And a Shifter at that._"

The Hat paused.

"_And my oh my, if you haven't inherited it.  This is amazing.  Shifters are only born every eighty years!  Ye gods, child, you ARE a find._"

_Erm, shouldn't you Sort me?  It's been a rather long while._

"_And YOU, have a rather lot in this melon of yours, Sheyne Amissa Snape.  In fact…I already know where to put you…  Yes, I do._"

"GRYFFINDOR!!"

* * *

"_Gryffindor?_"

"_Snape's kid?_"

"Well, that was a surprise."

"That's an understatement."

* * *

Harry, on a sudden whim, stood and waved at Sheyne, who was stepping down from the stool and heading towards the Gryffindor table.  Ron started and hissed, "Harry, what are you doing?"

"Inviting her down here," replied Harry calmly.

"_Why?_"

"Oh, c'mon, Ron," said Hermione.  "It's not like she's going to bite."

"She might!"

"Oh shove off, Ron," growled Harry, continuing to wave even as Ron stared at him.  Sheyne spotted him and froze for a moment, then began to move again, walking down to him.  Silence filled the Hall as Snape's daughter walked down to stand in front of Harry Potter.

"May I sit here?" asked Sheyne as though Harry had not waved her down, gesturing at the empty seat across from him between Hermione and Ginny.

"Certainly," replied Harry good-naturedly, grinning.  Sheyne grinned in response and walked around the table to the seat.  As soon as she was positioned between Ginny and Hermione, the noise in the Hall began to rise again.

Ron gaped at Sheyne in abject horror and Ginny made a very badly hidden attempt to scoot away but Hermione held out her hand towards the girl.  It was a fine gesture even if her hand was shaking slightly.

"Hi.  I'm Hermione Granger."

Sheyne took the offered hand, surprising the bushy-haired girl by griping it firmly.

"Hello, Hermione.  I think you already know my name being as…"  She flicked her fingers towards the Head Table and Hermione smiled slightly.

"Yeah."

Sheyne smiled then turned to Harry.

"And you, sir.  Who might _you_ be, the only person at the table known for courage brave enough to venture to wave me down?"

Harry grinned and extended his hand across the table.

"Harry Potter."

"Pleasure to meet you, Harry.  According to my father, you're a no good rascal who pays no attention in class and has the brainpower of one of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts."

Harry arched an eyebrow at her, sensing she wasn't through, while everyone nearby glared at her.

"_However_," said Sheyne loudly, ignoring the glares pointed her way. "_I_ am not my father.  And I believe I shall get to know you – _really_ know you – before I make my judgments."

"Sounds good to me," remarked Harry.

Sheyne grinned and took his hand.  The shock that went from her hand to his – or perhaps it was from his hand to hers – surprised the both of them and made them pull away from each other, eyes wide.  Everyone else had turned away by now, focusing on his or her food.  But Harry and Sheyne ignored the food on the table, staring at each other.  Suddenly they noticed what they were doing and looked around, hoping no one had noticed.

No one had.

Sheyne gave Harry a pointed glance and he shrugged.  Neither of them knew what had caused that shock.

But they both planned to find out why it had happened.


	7. Chapter 7 :: September 2, 1995 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 7 :: September 2,, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Early Morning_

Sheyne crept downstairs into the Gryffindor common room early in the morning and walked over to the fireplace, thinking she was alone.  Until she heard a voice behind her.

"Bad dream?"

The girl whirled and saw Harry sitting in a nearby chair, his long legs tucked under him and one arm propped on the arm of the chair with his chin cupped in his palm, the other laying haphazardly in his lap.  The dying fire made his already brilliant green eyes glow.

"N-no," said Sheyne, cursing mentally as she stuttered.

Harry smiled tightly.

"Right.  None of my business.  I'll just leave you to think…"

As he unfolded from the chair, Sheyne lifted a hand, shaking her head.  "No," she said, "stay.  Please."

Harry nodded and settled back into the chair, watching her.

After a moment she asked, "What are you doing down here?  If I may ask?"

"Bad dream," replied Harry in such a tone that offered no more answers to questions asked.  Sheyne nodded and reached into the neck of the baggy shirt she slept in, pulling out the chain and its stone.  Light gleamed off of it and Harry leaned forward a bit.

"What's that?" he asked.  When Sheyne looked at him, he gave her a bemused smile and added with a little laugh in his tone, "If I may ask."

Sheyne gave a little chuckle then swept her eyes over the stone.

"My mother – my adopted mother – said it was my real mother's."

"Adopted?"

"Yeah."  Sheyne nodded and suddenly her whole story spilled out to a boy she'd only met the night before.  Harry's face turned stony at the mention of Wormtail and Sheyne asked him about that when she finished.

"Wormtail," spat the teen bitterly, eyes blazing. "Was my parent's Secret Keeper when Voldemort (Harry noted Sheyne did not wince at the name) was after them.  His real name is Peter Pettigrew but they call him Wormtail because his Animagus form is that of a rat.  He also gave my parents to Voldemort, killing them by doing so and giving me this scar and my twice-damned reputation."

"He nearly killed me.  But the gray-eyed one…Lucius, I think…hit him."

"Lucius Malfoy?"

"I don't know.  My father thinks so."

"Damn," said Harry.

The two of them sat in silence again, Sheyne fidgeting with her necklace.  She suddenly asked, "What was that shock yesterday?"

"I don't know.  Nothing like that's ever happened to me before."

"Me either.  What do you think it was?"

"I haven't a clue in hell."

"You seem to curse a lot."

Harry blinked then shrugged.  "Yeah, I've been doing that lately.  Generally, its Ron that does that."

"Ron?"

"The red-head who was sitting beside me.  Ron Weasley.  His sister Ginny – she's a year younger than us – was sitting beside you."

"There seem to be a lot of red-head's."

"Oh, you mean Fred and George.  Well, there are three more of them: Percy, Bill and Charlie.  You might like to meet Bill and Charlie but Percy…  Well, let's put this bluntly: he's a bore."

Sheyne laughed and Harry couldn't help but grin.  Then he yawned, causing Sheyne to laugh even more.

"Well," he said, "I suppose my body is telling me I need to get back to sleep, bad dreams or not.  See you in the morning, Sheyne."

"You too, Harry.  Hope those dreams don't bother you."

Harry turned his head to grin at her from where he stood with one foot on the stairs going up to the boy's dormitories.

"G'night.  And I hope whatever's bothering you decides to go spear itself on something very sharp and pointy."

Sheyne gave a bark of laughter and said, "Thanks.  I think…"

Harry chuckled and half-waved at her before heading upstairs.  Sheyne sat in front of the fire for a few moments longer before she headed back to her own bed, still wondering why she felt that she could trust Harry with anything.


	8. Chapter 8 :: September 2, 1995 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 8 :: September 2,, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Later Morning (Breakfast)_

"C'mon, Harry!  Wake up!"

Harry grumbled something and rolled over, pulling his blankets tighter about his shoulders.  Ron sighed and looked over at the thump that was Dean.  The other Gryffindor had fallen over trying to pull on his pants while running across the room.  The results were not pretty.  Especially as his rear was poking about three feet in the air.

"Ow…" said Dean's muffled-by-the-carpet voice.

"Ron, is Harry up…WHAT THE HELL?!"

Sheyne poked her head into the fifth year boy's dormitory and caught a sight that she did not want to see – a fifteen-year-old's bum.  She had seen her adopted brother's often enough.

"Yech," she remarked and looked at Ron, who was rolling his eyes.  Rolling her eyes at the still bum-in-the-air-for-all-to-see Dean, Sheyne stepped into the room, dressed in leather pants, combat books, and a black tank-top that had 'BOW BEFORE ME FOOLISH MORTAL!!' scrawled across the front in what appeared to be yellow paint.  She strolled across the room, planted one boot on the much-mentioned bum and shoved.  Dean was slung into a sitting position and gaped at the girl.  And his first words were… (no, not "Was your foot just on my bum?"…)

"What are you doing in here?"

Sheyne rolled her eyes and pointed at the still sleeping Harry, who had curled into a ball of blankets as Ron had tried to wake him again.

"Oh," said Dean.  He suddenly blushed and made a mad dash to get behind his bed.  He had no idea that mad dashes do not work well when your pants are only halfway on.

Sheyne simply snorted and turned in one fluid motion to jerk the blankets out of Harry's hands.  The teen came up with them, teeth bared as he aimed a Death Glare at the girl.  He tugged the blankets back, growling, "_Mine_."

"Oh for the sake of puppies and kittens," moaned Sheyne.  "All of you are hopeless!  HOPELESS, I say!"

"That's what Professor Snape has been telling me for four years," grumbled Neville from under his covers.

"Remind me to kill my father for being such an ass sometimes.  GIVE ME THE BLANKETS!"

"MIIIIIIIIINEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

Half of Gryffindor Tower was now standing in the doorway, watching as Sheyne and Harry wrestled over Harry's blankets.  Ron meanwhile was trying to kill himself by bashing his head repeatedly against the wall and Dean was STILL trying to get his pants on.

Just another normal – er, _abnormal_ day at Hogwarts.

* * *

When Sheyne, Ron, and Harry finally arrived for breakfast (Sheyne had let Harry win the blanket-tug.  She also let him win when he was perfectly positioned to fall off the bed…), Hermione was at the end of her wits.

"Where have you three been?  Some third year was saying that you were all trying to kill yourselves."

Harry scowled and pointed at Sheyne, who sat down beside him.

"She started it."

"WHAT?!  Now, see here you…"

"See what?  That piece of pumpkin pasty on your head?"

"Pardon?"

SPLAT.

Laughter erupted from the Slytherin table as a pumpkin pasty suddenly struck Sheyne in the head, splattering pieces on Harry and the nearby Ron.

"Yech.  Who threw it?" asked Ron as he pulled a piece of pasty off his nose.

"Whoever did is going to die a very slow and painful death," stated Harry as Sheyne rose, amber eyes gleaming and marched over to the Slytherin table, the pasty still on her head.  She strode over to the laughing Draco Malfoy and hauled him to the floor.  Though they could not see, they could hear quite well what she told the Slytherin.

"IF YOU _EVER_ PISS ME OFF AGAIN, MALFOY, I WILL FIND A VERY LONG, VERY SHARP KNIFE AND I SHALL MAKE YOU SING SOPRANO!!"

Half the male population in the room winced as Sheyne rose, dusting her hands off and then scraping the pasty out of her hair before ceremoniously dumping the mound of orange pasty and white cream on Malfoy's sleek blond hair.  She also made sure to rub it in before marching back to her seat between Harry and Ron.  As she sat down, Harry lifted his hands and applauded silently.  Sheyne's angry demeanor lessened slightly and she smiled at the grinning boy.

"MISS SNAPE!"

"Yes, professor?" said Sheyne without turning to look at the fuming Professor McGonagall.

"TEN POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!  AND TEN POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN, MR. MALFOY!"

Malfoy glared at Sheyne, who gave him a scowl that imitated her father's to a 'T'.  He gave a little start then looked away hurriedly.

Ron, still recovering from the shock of seeing Snape's daughter dump a pumpkin pasty on Malfoy's head, suddenly turned to look at her in awe.  Sheyne arched her eyebrows at him then fell out of her chair when he spoke.

"That was bloody brilliant!"

A/N: Okay…its almost 3AM.  My brains are addled.  Excuse the absolute nuttiness of this chapter.  Or, laugh at it.  Whichever.  And remember to review for this poor, sleep-depraved author!  **Sleep-depraved AND Completely-Without-Sanity, you mean.**  *waves hand idly, not paying attention to what is said*  Yes, yes, yes…


	9. Chapter 9 :: September 2, 1995 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 9 :: September 2, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Later Morning (First Class)_

"Shouldn't you go change?"

Sheyne blinked at Ron then looked down at herself as they walked out of the Great Hall.

"Crap!  No wonder everyone was staring!"

"Just go throw a robe over it," suggested Harry.  "No one'll notice.  Ron threw his robes over his pajamas before and went two days like that."

"That was just for one day."

Sheyne nodded and said, "I'll see you three in class."  She sprinted off towards Gryffindor Tower as the trio turned towards the dungeons.

* * *

Sheyne had just thrown her robes over her head and tugged them down when she looked at her schedule.  It was color-coded for which Houses would be together.  Her first class was red and green and the caption read: **Double Potions – Slyth, Gryff – 8:55**.  Now she looked at her watch, which read: **8:52**.

"SHIT!"

* * *

Footsteps thundered down the halls as Sheyne ran for all she was worth, her bag bouncing hard against her shoulder.  Dammit, that book was giving her a bruise…

Look at the watch.  **8:53**.  Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!

_I'm not gonna make it!_ moaned Sheyne mentally.

Suddenly the stone under her shirt warmed and Sheyne let out a surprised yelp as she felt her body flowing into a new shape.  She collapsed onto four legs, each of them elongating into long, thin, spindly legs with cloven hooves on the ends.  Her body shifted, her bag flowing into her and becoming a part of her as her entire body was covered in soft, brown fur.  When her head finally made the transformation, a sleek doe was racing through the entrance hall towards the dungeons.  It blasted past the Bloody Baron, who only grumbled something about unruly students.

The doe scrabbled for traction as it rounded a corner, dashing down into the dungeons.  Down two flights of steps it leapt then raced down a corridor to the Potions classroom.  A flash of light later, Sheyne was racing down the last length of the hall, grinning widely.

The watch: **8:54**.

Sheyne threw open the door, sprinted for the empty seat beside Harry, and made it there just as the bell rang.

_Thank God!_

Harry arched an eyebrow at her and asked, "Hard run?"

Sheyne grinned at him and replied, "You have no idea."

* * *

"Some second year said they saw a deer running through the Charms corridor."

"A _deer_?"

"Yep.  A deer."

"What would a deer be doing in Hogwarts?"

"Who knows?"

Harry turned from the conversation down the table and saw Sheyne bent over, letting out silent peals of laughter.  He arched an eyebrow at her then shook his head.  He'd ask her about it later.

* * *

"What was so funny at lunch?"

Sheyne looked up from her book as Harry flopped down on the couch beside her.

"Oh…that silly story about a deer.  A deer in Hogwarts.  What a hoot."

Harry arched an eyebrow and said, "You seemed to think it was funner than some people.  Like you knew it was really true."

Sheyne peered at him for a moment then leaned towards him and whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"

Harry chuckled.

"Of course.  Not the foulest Slytherin nor the cleverest Ravenclaw shall get your secret out of me."

Sheyne chortled then said, "Alright.  I'll tell you."

Harry arched his eyebrows and propped one elbow on his knee, his chin resting in his palm.  Sheyne looked around the common room then began.

"_I_ was the deer…"

* * *

"So, you can change into different animals?"

"Well…I've only done it twice.  The first time was when my adopted parents were killed.  The third one – Macnair – he tried to catch me and Stephen but got scared."

"Scared?" repeated Harry.

"Yeah.  I – I think I turned into a panther."

Harry whistled softly and leaned back into the couch.

"That's some gift."

"I know.  I wonder where it came from…"

Harry chuckled and said, "Y'know, I can't believe I'm really saying this, but maybe you should ask Snape.  He'd probably know.  After all, he is…"

"My father," finished Sheyne.  "A fact I know all too well, now.  Does he deliberately make every student hate him?"

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment then nodded.

"Yeah," he said, "I think that's just about right."

Sheyne rolled her eyes then said, "Don't go to dinner without me."

"Wouldn't dream of it.  Have a nice chat."

Sheyne waved at Harry then left the common room, heading for the dungeons.


	10. Chapter 10 :: September 2, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 10 :: September 2, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Before Dinner_

Severus sat at his desk in his office, red-tipped quill poised over an already well-marked test.  He was grumbling as he peered down at it, shoulder-length hair falling about his face.  He did not notice when the door creaked open or if he did, he made no acknowledgment.

"Papa?"

"Yes?" said Severus without looking up.

"Papa, I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"How can I turn into different animals?"

Severus' head came up sharply, his bright black eyes hidden behind the fringe of hair that fell over them.

"What was that?"

"Different animals, Papa.  The Sorting Hat said I was a Shifter.  Like Mum."

The quill fell to the desk.

"_Shifter?_"

Dark eyes widened as that statement settled on his ears, permeated his brain, and he managed to sort it all out through his shock.

Sheyne, meanwhile, walked over to stand beside her seated father, her expression worried.  She hadn't expected this sort of reaction!

"Papa?"

"Sheyne?"

Sheyne turned to see Stephen, tawny hair in wild, untamable spikes, enter the room from the door leading into her father's rooms.  Since term had begun, the fourteen-year-old had been bunking down in a room that had been converted from a tiny potions closet to a fairly good-sized bedroom.  The boy looked at the man who had become his guardian after his parent's deaths then looked at his adopted sister.

"What's up with him?"

"I think I shocked him," replied Sheyne, peering at her father.  She gingerly placed her hand on his shoulder and shook him.  "Papa?"

Severus seemed to come to life and gave a little shake.  He turned to look up at her and softly said, almost to himself, "So that's why they were after you…"

Sheyne and Stephen looked at each other, Sheyne arching an eyebrow at him and Stephen shrugging in response, before turning back to the older man.

"Papa," said Sheyne, crouching beside his chair.  "Papa, what are you talking about?"

Severus frowned and looked down at her.  He then reached down and pulled at the silver chain about her neck.  The stone glistened as it twirled at the end of its chain and the dark-haired wizard smiled bitterly.

"I should have known," he said.  "Why _else_ would they have been after you?  Merlin's beard, how could I have been so blind?  It's been right here in front of me."

Sheyne and Stephen exchanged another glance then Sheyne asked, "What has, Papa?  What are you talking about?"

Severus looked from the stone to her then back.  He then let it drop and sighed heavily.

"I suppose you would have found out eventually.  Sit down, both of you.  As you're here, Stephen, you might as well know what's going on too."

Sheyne simply heaved herself up onto her father's desk as Stephen rushed into the private rooms to get a chair.  When he returned, Severus began.

"There's a bit of background behind this story, so bear with me you two."  He sighed, closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and began.

"I met your mother, Sheyne, when she transferred here from Durmstrang, a wizarding school located somewhere in the colder regions, in my second year.  I was the most loathed member of the school, hated by my Slytherin housemates for being more skilled in the Dark Arts, by the Ravenclaw's because I could beat any of them at their own logic games, by the Hufflepuff's because they were all terrified of me for some odd reason, and the Gryffindor's because I was simply a Slytherin.  But your mother…ah, what can one say about her?  She was popular with everyone, right up there with Lily Evans, who ended up being one of her best friends.  Even the Slytherins liked her, which was the opposite of what they could say of Lily – they hated her because of her association with Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew."

"Who?"

"Four Gryffindors who indulged in playing pranks on everyone – much like the Weasley twins, only worse.  I, of course, was one of their favorite targets.  But I got them with pranks just as much as they got me.  Everyone in the school knew by fifth year that there was a bloody feud between the Marauders – that's what they called themselves – and me."

"As I said, everyone loved your mother.  She was beautiful, smart, brave (not the stupid bravery most Gryffindors are famous for), and with a tongue as sharp as any Slytherin.  Her hair was like a raven's feathers and her eyes…her eyes were the same exact shade as yours.  That unnatural amber caught the eyes of many."

"Now that we've got the bases, we'll get to where I actually met her.  It was the end of third year and I'd been one of the many boys in love with your mother since she had appeared in the morning at breakfast and been Sorted.  That she was a Gryffindor didn't matter, as it generally did to me.  Of course, my friend – _only_ friend – knew I was in love with her and thought we'd make a good couple.  So, this young second year Ravenclaw took it upon herself to bring a confused Rowena over to me at the End Year Feast.  I was speechless at the time but I nearly killed her afterwards.  Be glad I didn't, or else we would not have the skills of Poppy Pomfrey at this school."

"What happened then?" asked Stephen.

"Ah.  Well, I became even more hated.  Every male above third year was furious that I had won the undivided attention of Rowena.  By our sixth year, she and I were dating.  Steadily.  By now the male population had come to the conclusion that Rowena was not going to be free anytime soon and went back to their usual routine.  A few still tried to convince her that they were much better choices of a boyfriend than me but quickly retracted that opinion."

"Why?" asked Sheyne.

Severus chuckled.

"Because, my dear daughter, your mother knew just as many hexes as I and could use them in a room full of teachers without getting caught.  Everyone quickly got the idea."

"Now, as to her being a Shifter.  I knew this by fourth year.  Rowena took a big risk telling me about her secret."

"What's wrong with being a Shifter?" asked Stephen, glancing at Sheyne.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a Shifter.  They are just as much wizards as we are, though there had been a few Squib Shifters over the centuries.  But, because many Shifters went to the side of Grindelwald over fifty years ago and to Voldemort in the Dark Years, they became feared as Dark Creatures.  Which they are not, I assure you."  This was said to Sheyne's surprised looked.

"Rowena's family had kept themselves out of Grindelwald's war but in Voldemort's, which started in my second year, they couldn't.  Now, Shifters are naturally born every eighty years in a family line.  Rowena was the one in hers but she had many, many cousins who were also born in the eighty-year mark.  You see, a Shifter may only be born every eighty years in a _direct family line_.  Which is the reason Rowena could be born a Shifter and her cousins could as well."

"What happened?" asked Sheyne, completely enraptured by the story and her father's voice.

"Rowena's cousins joined Voldemort.  They were older than she and had stayed at Durmstrang while she had come to Hogwarts.  I'd say that was the finest decision her mother ever made, sending Rowena here.  Had she stayed at Durmstrang, her cousins may have forced her into Voldemort's ranks."

"Of course, Rowena was crushed by this news.  By seventh year, she was determined to become an Auror.  And once she made up her mind, it was made up.  I always hated that part of her.  It was always a little too Gryffindor for me but I still loved her for it.  And she did it.  She became an Auror and I followed her, which was what my family had always expected me to do."

"Follow her?" questioned Stephen.

"No.  Join the Aurors," replied Severus.  "Now where was I?  Ah, yes.  A few years into the war, Rowena and I married – ironically the day after James Potter married Lily Evans.  After that, I spent two more years among the Aurors before leaving their ranks.  Rowena stayed until she became pregnant with you, Sheyne."

"So Shifter's can be born from different line's in the families, but not the same line."  Sheyne frowned and asked, "But what about me?  How can I be a Shifter if Mum was one?"

Severus sighed.

"That I do not know, pet.  I've never heard of such a thing happening.  Though Rowena's family was supposedly descended from Rowena Ravenclaw, so that may have some factor.  She was a powerful witch and her mother was a Shifter.  Who truly knows what it was?  But its here and we shall deal with it."

"How?" asked Sheyne.

"I think I remember enough of what Rowena told me about Shifters to help you get control of the shifting.  If you don't…who knows what could happen?"  He suddenly asked sharply, "Have you told anyone else?"

Sheyne nodded.  "I told Harry."  When her father scowled, she said in a sharp tone, "He's not _that_ bad, Papa.  Why do you not like him?  Harry's the nicest person I've met here.  He's about the only one who's not scared to talk to me!  I asked Neville Longbottom if I could borrow his Herbology notes and he _fainted!_"

Severus said, "That's my fault.  I knew his parents and I know they wouldn't want their son to be scared of everything."

"Papa, he's scared of _you_.  Cripes, what'd y'do?  Threaten to turn him into a toad like Trevor?"

"Hardly.  I am innately frightening."

Sheyne and Stephen snorted, causing Severus to scowl at them.

"You doubt me?" he said incredulously.

"Noo…"

"Surely not."

"No doubt here."

"Oh, go to dinner!"

Sheyne and Stephen grinned at each other then left, yelling farewells over their shoulders.

"Bye, Papa!"

"Goodbye, sir!"

As their footsteps echoed back along the dungeon corridor, Severus smiled after them, shaking his head and chuckling before returning to the papers on his desk.

* * *

"Hey guys.  D'ya'll mind if he sits with us?"

Sheyne jerked her thumb at Stephen as they ran into the Great Hall and over to the Gryffindor table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat.  Before either of the other two could reply, Harry said, "Sure."  Sheyne motioned Stephen to sit down and took the empty seat beside Harry.  The fourteen-year-old sat across from her and jumped when Harry extended his hand across the table.

"Hi.  I'm Harry Potter."

Stephen took the offered hand.

"Stephen Outlaw.  I'm Sheyne's adopted brother."

"I know.  She's told me about you."

Stephen arched his eyebrows at Sheyne, who looked innocently back at him.  Harry arched an eyebrow at the both of them then waved at the rather jumpy looking pair Stephen was sitting beside.

"And those are my friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

"Hi," said Hermione weakly.

Sheyne leaned over to Harry and whispered, "Okay, I understand the nervousness with people around me, but around Ste?  What's to be nervous about around him?"

Harry grinned and replied, "They'll think some of that famous Snape humor had rubbed off."

"We Snape's do not have a sense of humor," proclaimed Sheyne proudly.

"Exactly my point."

"Blaggard!"

"Oy, eat the potatoes, not throw them!"

"Sorry, Ron," chorused Harry and Sheyne.

The ginger-haired boy glared at them then scraped the potatoes out of his hair.  He tossed them gingerly at Sheyne's plate and said, "Yeah, well, throw them at Malfoy if you want to throw them anywhere."

"Good idea," said Sheyne.  "I still have to get him back for putting that pasty in my hair."

Stephen looked at his adopted sister in surprise.  "You mean threatening to cut off his balls wasn't enough?"

"I'M TRYING TO EAT HERE!"

"Sorry."  Stephen looked apologetically at the scowling Ron.

"I don't think that did any good anyway," remarked Harry.  "In fact, I think he's trying to be even more of a git than usual."

"How so?"

"Take a look."

Five heads craned towards the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy doing a very bad impression of Sheyne threatening him.  He saw them and glared, grey eyes cold.  Sheyne bared her teeth at him and Harry scowled in response.  Across the table, Stephen jumped in surprise.  For a second there he'd sworn…  No – it couldn't be.

Stephen peered at Harry as the older boy picked up a knife, twirled it in his fingers, then proceeded to use it as a sword against Sheyne's fork.

Maybe he was seeing things.

Stephen gave a little shake, watching the butter knife/fork battle.  His eyes darted between his sister, Harry, then up to the Head Table where Snape had appeared.

Maybe, just, maybe he was seeing things.

But if he wasn't…Harry looked oddly like Snape.


	11. Chapter 11 :: October 15, 1995 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 11 :: October 15, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Just After Midnight/Morning Around 7_

_"Die, Muggles!"_

_"What scum…  They deserve to die…"_

_"Die!"_

_"Nothing but trash, I say…  Kill them all…"_

_"Die, die!"_

_"KILL THEM ALL!!"_

_"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Harry sat up abruptly in bed, his now shoulder-length hair hanging in wet ringlets as sweat poured in rivers off his skin.  His stomach twisted suddenly and he leapt out of his bed, staggering down the stairs three at a time, nearly tripping, and running across the common room.  He fell to his knees in the bathroom and threw up what was left from dinner into the toilet.

By the time he was done, he was leaning over the porcelain bowl, breathing harshly.  He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and took a deep, shaky breath, closing his eyes.

After a few moments of sitting on the floor, he rose to his feet.  Hands shaking, he flushed the toilet then staggered out into the common room, where he collapsed onto the floor in front of the still crackling fire.  Curling up into a ball on the hearthrug, he took a few more shaky breaths before he closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep again.

The images from his dream flashed in front of his eyes and he cried out involuntarily.  His green eyes glittered with unshed tears as he saw that poor little girl again, her head lolling limply from side to side as her tiny puppy nudged her, trying valiantly to wake his master.

How could they?  How…_could_…they?

Harry watched the crackling fire, his mind filled with the things he had seen in his dreams.  Ever since his birthday when the odd changes in his body (and magical powers, though he'd told no one about this), he'd gotten better at remembering the dreams brought on by Voldemort's presence.  And then there were others like that that came to him, dreams of the Death Eater attacks.  He knew he'd see something or hear something about it tomorrow.  But until then…maybe, just maybe, those images would leave him alone long enough to let him sleep a little.

And so they did.

* * *

Sheyne crept downstairs early in the morning, rubbing her right shoulder and wincing.  The night before she and her father had been up until eleven getting her ready for her hardest Shift yet – into a magical creature.  Apparently her mother had never been able to master that trick (very few Shifter's ever had) but she knew the way it was done and had performed it enough that her father knew how to show her.

Suddenly she stopped, frowning.  Someone was lying on the hearthrug…

Long, lithe body curled up into a ball; broad shoulders that appeared to be lightly muscled by the way the shirt was stretching across them; long, dark hair that curled slightly with red highlights…

It was the red highlights that did it.  Only one person in the entire school had red highlights in their hair and that was Harry.

Sheyne took a few cautious steps forward, not wanting to disturb the sleep of the boy who had very quickly become her friend.  When he didn't move, she took a few more, leaning over to look at his lean face, which was not the peaceful visage it was when he was awake.  In sleep, he looked…darker, more like the warrior wizard he was supposed to be.  It was almost like, without those far too emerald eyes open, there was nobody home.

She then looked at her watch and saw the time.  If she didn't wake Harry up, he'd be late.

"Harry," she hissed, reaching down to shake his shoulder.  "Harry, wake up."

A muscle twitched in Harry's cheek but beyond that she had no sign of a response.

"_Harry!_" snapped Sheyne.  "Wake up!  For the sake all things holy, you've gotta get up!"

Harry rolled onto his back at that and opened one eye to a slit to peer up at her blearily.

"S'who?"

"It's Shey.  You've gotta get up, mate.  Your asleep on the hearthrug."

"I…know," yawned Harry, rising to his feet as though he hadn't slept on the floor and stretching lithely, like a cat.  "What's up?"

"Why were you sleeping on the hearthrug?" asked Sheyne.

Harry rubbed his eyes then looked down at her, a haunted look in his eyes.

"Dreams.  Nothing big."  He then looked down at the shirt and sweats he was dressed in then back up at her, grinning wryly.  "Guess I'd better go change, shouldn't I?"

Sheyne nodded and replied, "Probably a good idea."

"Yeah.  Wait here, 'kay?"  Harry didn't wait for a response from Sheyne, only sprinted up the stairs to the fifth year boys dormitory, taking the stairs two at a time.  He was back a few moments later, school robes in order and hair tied back in a loose pigtail.

"Alright, let's go."

As they stepped out past the Fat Lady, saying their hello's to her, Harry asked softly, "Hey, how have the lessons been going?"

"Good," replied Sheyne.  "My shoulder hurts a bit from last night but its gonna be worth it if all this works.  Papa is trying to get me to turn into a Gryffa, which is a really tiny type of Griffin.  They're really cute."

"I can imagine," said Harry.  "It'll be cool when you can turn into a _real_ Griffin.  Then you can fly."

"Have to learn how to fly first," said Sheyne.  "I may get their instincts when I shift, but I'm not what I turn into."

"True.  Oh, at last…  I'm starved…"

As soon as they sat down at the Gryffindor table, Harry began to pile his plate high with food.  Sheyne watched him in amusement for a moment, then dug in herself.

* * *

"Hey, have you guys seen the _Prophet_ today?" asked Ron as he opened the paper, not noticing when Harry paled to a shade of pasty white.  "There's been another attack."

"_Another_ one?" said Sheyne, turning the paper so she could see it.  There was a black-and-white picture of the Dark Mark hovering over the remains of a town.  It also appeared to be hovering over bodies.

Harry's fork fell to the floor and the other three looked at him.  He looked decidedly green as he said, "I've got to go," and hurriedly got up, practically sprinting out of the Hall.  Sheyne looked at Ron and Hermione in confusion then rose to go after him.

"Sheyne, don't…" began Hermione but Ron stopped her.

"Don't bother, Herm.  She won't listen anyway."

"Ron Weasley, you stop insulting Sheyne or I'll turn you into a toad."

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Sheyne ran outside after Harry and found him by the lake, his back against an ancient oak tree.  He didn't seem to notice her until she climbed over a large, uplifted root and slid down beside him.  When he did, he looked at her with dull green eyes.  They looked as though the odd light they generally possessed had been sucked out of them.

"Harry," she said softly, "you okay?"

"No," came the drab reply.  The green eyes lifted to look into hers and Harry whispered, "I saw it.  I saw it all."

Sheyne frowned in confusion.

"Saw what?"

"Them.  All of them.  All of them dying.  _All of them._"

Sheyne opened her mouth then realized what he was talking about.

"The people in the paper.  The village that was attacked.  Oh God…  Harry…"

"It's okay, Shey.  I'm…used to it."

"Used to seeing people _die_?  Harry, man, _no one_ is used to seeing people die."

Harry looked at her and said, "I've been seeing stuff like this ever since the end of last year.  Every Death Eater attack, every time Voldemort called a meeting…I've seen it.  I don't know why."

"Maybe you've got the Sight."

"Maybe," said Harry.  "But if I do, I'd gladly give it to Trelawney.  Let her see people die almost every night.  Let anyone who thinks my life is easy see that.  I'd like to see _their_ reaction to some of the things _I've_ seen."  Harry spat bitterly on the ground and laughed harshly.  "Yes, indeed, I would."

"Harry," said Sheyne, laying a hand on her new friend's arm.  "Isn't there some way to block these things?  Dreamless Sleep Potion or a charm…"

"Dreamless Sleep Potion becomes addictive if used enough and I don't think any charm would be powerful enough to keep these things from coming."  Harry sighed heavily then looked at Sheyne, smiling slightly.

"But you know what?" he said.

"What?" asked Sheyne.

"Those dreams seem less close to mind when your around.  Maybe its because you're a Shifter or something…"  Harry shrugged.  "But – somehow – everything seems…I don't know…_normal_ when your around me.  Just you."

"Well," he added, "as normal as life here can get."

Sheyne laughed and said, "Well, then if it helps, I'm here to give any time I can."

"Thanks," said Harry.

"No thanks needed, my friend," said Sheyne, leaning up against his shoulder.  "No thanks needed at all."


	12. Chapter 12 :: October 31, 1995 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 12 :: October 31, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Before/During/After Halloween Feast_

"Hey, Shey."

Sheyne looked up from her Charms paper as Stephen walked across the common room to where she sat alone.  She answered him without looking up or stopping her frantically scribbling quill.

"I'll be with you in a minute, little bro.  This thing is due tomorrow and I really don't need to do worse in Charms than I'm already doing."

_Scribble…scribble…scribble…_

"There!" declared the dark-haired girl a few minutes later, leaning back and grinning at the sandy-haired boy.  "All finished.  So…what brings you to the marvels of the Griffin's Tower, Ste?"

"I wanted to ask you a question," replied Stephen.  His pale green eyes darted about the common room, causing Sheyne to arch an eyebrow at him.

"And apparently wanting to do a Bond impersonation.  What's with the secrecy?"

Stephen grabbed a chair and turned it around, sitting on it and putting his arm along the back.  He softly began, "Well, I wanted to ask you about a…ah…a charm."

Sheyne leaned her elbows on the table (carefully avoiding the still wet ink on her Charms paper).  "Lots of charms, little bro.  Any in particular?"

"Ah…"  Stephen's eyes darted about the room again.  "One to tell you who someone's parents are."

"Like one of those DNA matching thingies?  Well, I can't say I've come across it…  I could ask Hermione…"

"_NO!_"

Sheyne blinked at her adopted brother.

"And why not?" she asked.  Eyes narrowing slightly, she hissed, "What are you looking for, Stephen?"

"I…I can't tell you."

"Piss and sod.  You want me to help you, then you've got to tell me what the hell's going on.  Who are you trying to find the parents for?"

Stephen looked shifty for a moment then sighed, shoulders slumping.

"Harry."

Sheyne's eyes flew wide.  "_Harry?_  Ste, I think you've gone a little daft.  Everyone knows who's Harry's parents are."

"Shey, haven't you noticed that some people don't recognize him, when they're supposed to?  I mean…like that Malfoy fellow when he was grating on me.  Harry walked right up to him and told him to shove off in not so few words and Malfoy didn't even recognize him.  And you told me that the two of them have been rivals ever since they met."

"That's what I heard.  And people can change so much that someone won't recognize them right off the bat."

"Shey, you're not listening to me!" snapped Stephen, banging his fist on the table.  Sheyne was surprised.  Generally _she_ was the one to bash something, not her little brother.

"Okay, Ste," she said, "I'll listen.  Won't say I'll believe, but I'll listen."

"Good," said Stephen shortly.  "Now, look…where's Harry?  Okay, look at him."

Sheyne looked over to where Harry and Ron were playing Wizard's Chess on the other side of the common room.

"I'm looking."

"Anything about him look familiar?"

"Looks like Harry.  Ste, what are you…"

"NO!  You're still not listening.  Look for something that looks like someone you know.  Someone who _saved us_."

Sheyne looked sharply at the boy sitting beside her.  What was he implying?

"Do it," he insisted.

"Alright."

And Sheyne looked again.  But this time she did as Stephen had said.  She looked harder, she looked for something (as odd as she thought the suggestion) for something that looked like her father.

"I see a few things that remind me of Papa, but nothing serious."

Stephen sighed and shook his head.  Then he asked, "Will you still look up the charm?  And see what it does if you find it?"

"Ste…"

"Please, Shey.  Humor me."

Sheyne sighed and gave the fourteen-year-old a sideways look.

"Alright," she said.  "I'll look for it."

Stephen smiled and said, "Thanks, sis."

"Yeah, yeah…  C'mon.  The Halloween Feast is about to start and I want you to sit with us.  Mione says the Hall's generally a treat to look at."

* * *

"Well," said Sheyne a few minutes later, "you were right, Mione."

"She generally is," said Ron, who had at long last gotten used to the girl hanging around with them but still snuck glowers at her when he thought she wasn't looking.

The five of them entered the festively decorated Great Hall, ducking as a flock of bats flew low over their heads then heading for the Gryffindor table.  Quickly they were seated and eating as the Feast began.

Sheyne looked askance at Ron and Stephen as they practically inhaled their food.

"You two eat like pigs," she remarked.

"Do 'na," defended Stephen.

"Yeah," echoed Ron.

"Ron," said Harry, "you know it's a fact that you eat like the food's going to disappear any second."

"Nothin' wrong wi' tha'."

Harry sighed and Hermione shook her head, looking amused.

"Stubborn as always."

Sheyne snorted and growled, "Bloody right on that.  Ste's as stubborn as an ox sometimes."

"Can'na say mu' be'er bou' you, sis."

Sheyne snorted again then leapt to her feet as there was suddenly a loud explosion and the stone's under their feet shook violently.  "What the _hell_ was _that_?"

"It wasn't anywhere in Hogwarts," said Hermione.  "It came from outside…"

"Hogsmeade!" gasped Harry.

"The village?" said Stephen.

"It must be being attacked!"

"Death Eaters?" said Ron.  Sheyne looked at Harry at that.

"Maybe…" said Hermione.

"Everyone stay calm," said Dumbledore.  "Stay inside the Hall.  Filius, Emily, if you would watch the students.  All other teachers – follow me."

Hundreds of eyes watched as all the professors but Flitwick and Sprout left the hall.  Sheyne's eyes focused on her father until he vanished.  There was suddenly another explosion and Harry let out a cry of pain, bending over, his hands flying to his scar.

"Harry!" cried Hermione.

"It's his scar," whispered Ron.  "It's You-Know-Who."

_Maybe not_, thought Sheyne.  _Not if what he told me was true._

"What's wrong with him?" asked someone from down the table.

"Nothing," snapped Sheyne.  "Just something he ate.  We should take him to the Hospital Wing.  Ste, go get Professor Flitwick and see if he'll escort us."

"Right."  Stephen rose and ran up the Hall as more heads craned towards the tightly clustered little group.

Harry groaned suddenly and bared his teeth, eyes closed tightly.  "They're attacking…hundreds of them…" he ground out.  "They're at the…Three Broomsticks…Rosemerta…_AHHH!_"  He screamed and Sheyne grabbed his shoulders, turning to yell, "PROFESSOR!!!"

Flitwick came dashing forward as fast as his short legs would take him, eyes wide.  Harry convulsed suddenly, groaning between his teeth, and Flitwick quickly ordered, "Take him to the Hospital Wing.  Go.  Hurry.  No dawdling."

"Yes, sir," said Sheyne, struggling to hold onto the twisting Harry.  "Ron, Ste, Mione, _help me!_"

The four of them somehow managed to get Harry down to the infirmary and onto a bed without serious injury – except for a black eye on Stephen's part.  Madam Pomfrey hurried over to them, wand in hand.  As she waved it over him, he suddenly screamed again, eyes flying open and his body rising off the bed in a full-body scream.

"HOLD HIM DOWN!" bellowed Madam Pomfrey.

Ron and Stephen leapt forward but had to jump back as Harry's flailing arm threatened to decapitate them.  Sheyne growled deep in her throat and closed her eyes, her mind racing to find all her father had taught her of her Shifter powers.

Concentrating hard, she focused on an image of a black panther.  Instead of using her innate magic to change into the creature, she used it to simply give herself the strength and speed of the panther.

Eyes flying open, she darted forward, ducking under Harry's flailing arm and shoving his body hard down onto the bed.  One hand trapped his arms while the other waved at Ron and Stephen to grab his legs.  They had to bodily throw themselves over them to keep them still.

Madam Pomfrey eyed Sheyne then began to cast various spells on Harry.  Nothing worked.  She shook her head and said, "He'll have to ride it out.  I don't know what to do to help him."

Sheyne looked down at her friend and grimaced as his face twisted in pain again.  Then she remembered something he'd said.

_"– somehow – everything seems…I don't know…normal when your around me.  Just you."_

"Ron, Ste…get back."

"What?" said the two boys in surprise.

"Just do what I say."

The two looked at each other and Sheyne turned her head to send a malevolent scowl at them.  "_NOW!_" she roared.

They stepped back just as Harry jerked again.  When they tried to move forward again, Sheyne snarled – literally snarled – at them.  She quickly got a hold on herself.  The panther had come through just a little more than she had meant it to…

Turning back to Harry, she held him down, leaning down to whisper in his ear.  Maybe it would work.  Maybe…

Years seemed to pass in that room as Ron, Hermione, Stephen, and Madam Pomfrey watched Sheyne effortlessly hold Harry to the bed, whispering into his ear as she did so.  Finally, Harry's exertions ceased and he sank into the mattress.  Sheyne let go of the panther and pulled back from Harry, smoothing a lock of sweaty hair from his face as she did so.  Her hand brushed the lightning bolt scar and a wave of such heat passed into her that she cried out, pulling away from him.

Madam Pomfrey quickly took over from there, ushering them out of the Hospital Wing and closing the door behind them.  The four of them were silent as they trekked back to the Great Hall, Sheyne staring at her hand all the while.  There was nothing on her pale skin but for a moment it had felt as though the skin was being sloughed off her bones, her nerves screaming with fierce pain.

Could Harry's visions, dreams, whatever they were, really hurt him?  Or someone else?

Or was it simply her?

* * *

Later, after the feast, father and daughter were locked in a screaming battle.

"Papa, I want to know what happened."

"You'll learn about it soon enough.  Now go to bed!"

Sheyne's eyes narrowed to burning slits of amber fire and she snarled, "I want to know!"

Severus' eyes narrowed in the same manner as he howled back, "Well, you're not going to!"

"Papa, I _have_ to know!  TELL ME!"

"GO TO BED!"

"TELL ME!" bellowed Sheyne.

"BED!"

Severus pointed one finger at the door leading out of his rooms in the dungeons and Sheyne glared at him for a long moment before turning on her heel, eyes flashing and short hair tossing.  She stormed out into the hallway, throwing Draco Malfoy onto his rump as she ploughed through the crowd of Slytherins that had gathered outside their Head of House's door to listen to the battle.  When Severus poked his head out the door to stare after his daughter, they scattered.

But not before most of them earning a loud berating and a few losing House points.

* * *

Sheyne stormed into Gryffindor Tower, stalking across the common room to where Ron and Hermione sat.  She snarled incoherently then, still in her rage, kicked a chair across the room.  Neville, Seamus, and Dean ducked so the flying object would take off their heads.

"I'm guessing you didn't find anything out," said Dean, looking at the chair then at Sheyne.

The girl scowled at him and grumbled under her breath before storming over to the fireplace and sitting on the hearthrug.  She drew her cloak around her and no one – not even the Weasley twins – had the gumption to go near her or try and talk to her.

They just hoped she'd be better when Harry came back.


	13. Chapter 13 :: November 1, 1995 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 13 :: November 1, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Morning/Night_

Harry opened his eyes to find himself staring at the cracked plaster ceiling of the infirmary.  His first thought was to why he was there.  His next to were to why his head felt like it'd been split open and his body felt like it'd been put through some sort of gauntlet run.

"'Bout time you were awake," grumbled a familiar voice from his right.

Turning his head, Harry saw Sheyne sitting in a chair, her knee's tucked under her and her cloak bundled up around her.

"H-how long have I been out?"

"You don't remember?" asked Sheyne, her voice losing its earlier harshness and becoming concerned.

"Should I?" asked Harry.

Sheyne nodded slightly.  "You collapsed.  During the Feast last night.  Then all the teachers, minus Flitwick and Sprout, ran out.  Ron, Hermione, Stephen, and me brought you up here after you started convulsing.  It got pretty mad.  We – _I_ – had to hold you down until it passed because Madam Pomfrey didn't know what to do to stop it.  I had to use panther strength to get you to stay down."

"Funny," said Harry, "I don't remember all that."  Suddenly his eyes became somehow brighter and he added, "Excuse me, yes, I do."

Sheyne perked, her arm moving slightly to pull down the cloak, revealing the green veined blue stone hanging from her throat.

"I'm sorry if I sound anxious or completely unfeeling, Harry, but…what happened?  No one wants to tell us anything.  Not even my father!"

Harry sighed and reached up a hand to rub at his temples.  He looked at her out from under it and said, "And good show to them, too.  It's not something they'd want us to hear about.  But, then again, they can't stop me from _seeing it_ and _feeling it_, now can they?"  He spat the last sentence bitterly, eyes gleaming.

Sheyne reached out and laid a hand on top of his.  Green eyes met amber and Harry smiled slightly.

"And there goes that feeling again – like everything's normal."

The girl smiled in return then waited patiently.  Harry closed his eyes and began to talk in a low voice.

"They attacked Hogsmeade – the Death Eaters.  From what I could see, there were hundreds of them.  They went from one building to another, cutting down people like wheat.  Some of them set the buildings on fire.  And they didn't just kill.  Death Eaters never just kill, or very rarely do.  They tortured.  Cruciatus, mainly, but I saw some Imperius.  They had parents kill their children, Shey.  There was one, a little boy, probably only four.  He kept crying out 'Daddy!', crying out to his father even as he killed his son."

Sheyne felt a tear creep down her cheek and rose from her seat, throwing her arms about Harry.  He hugged her back then gently pushed her away.

"How could they?" whispered Sheyne, another tear making its way down her cheek.

"I don't know," replied Harry softly.  Sheyne could not help but notice that despite the grief in his tone and in his eyes, he did not cry.  She, who had always tried to be strong, was and he wasn't.  It was as though he wanted to, but couldn't.

"When do you get out of here?" asked Sheyne, attempting to change the subject as she brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"Today," replied Harry.  "Even if I have to _kill_ Madam Pomfrey, I'll get out of here today."

"No love for the infirmary either?"

"Not in the slightest," said Harry, scowling.  "Anyway, you'd better get out of here before she yells at you for not letting her most precious of patients get enough sleep."

Sheyne laughed lightly then placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"See you when you get out of here."

"You bet."

The two smiled at each other once more then Sheyne left, her mind whirling.

Stephen had been right.

* * *

"Sheyne?"

"Mmm?"

Sheyne lifted her head from where it had fallen on top of the page she'd been reading out of an Advanced Charms book.  Hermione was gently shaking her shoulder, brown eyes worried.

"Something wrong, Mione?"

"How much sleep did you get last night?" asked Hermione.

Sheyne frowned, yawned, then stretched before thinking about it.  "Uh," she said, "maybe two hours…"

"_Two hours?_  Shey, you have to get more sleep."

"Is Harry back yet?"

"He's been back since dinner!  Asleep, thankfully, which is where you should be and where you will be even if I have to put the Body-Bind on you."  Hermione drew her wand, a determined look on her face, and Sheyne lifted a hand.

"Hey, hey…  I'm going.  Just help me get these books upstairs, will you?  I'm doing some research for Ste.  He wants to know something."

"Can't he look it up himself?" asked Hermione as she levitated the books then directed them up to the fifth year girl's dormitory.

Sheyne shook her head and replied, "Not really.  Doesn't know what he's looking for."  She rose shakily from her chair, stretching the cramped muscles in her back and groaning.

"Serves you right for falling asleep in a chair."

"I bet you've done it before."

"But I've learned since then.  When studying late, always make sure to have a couch nearby."

"I'll…_yawn_…remember that next time."

Hermione said, "If you remember anything tomorrow.  You look like a mouse Crookshanks brought in one time."

"I resent being compared to a mouse."  _Especially as I can turn into one_, added Sheyne silently to herself.

Hermione waved a hand and gave Sheyne a gentle nudge towards her bed, directing the books to stack themselves beside Sheyne's bed.  The dark-haired girl smiled in thanks then collapsed onto the mattress, sighing contentedly into the pillow.  Hermione shook her head at her then, changing into her night clothes, climbed into bed.


	14. Chapter 14 :: November 25, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 14 :: November 25, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Night/Morning_

At midnight, while everyone else slept, Sheyne stayed awake.  She was once again down in the Gryffindor common room, the charms books she'd been looking through for weeks spread out across two tables.  Sheets of paper with writing in slanted, barely legible script scrawled across them lay scattered between and under the books.  Sheyne sat at the center of the table, quill in one hand as the other ran down a page of the book.

Occasionally, she stopped and scribbled something on the paper then began to read again.

Suddenly, her eyes widened and she scrabbled for a piece of clean paper.

"Dammit.  C'mon…paper, paper, paper…  Where's the sodding paper?!"

Finally she found a piece that wasn't completely covered by her scribbles and tore off the tiny corner that was blank.  Quickly, she refilled her quill and began to scribble hurriedly on the tiny piece of paper, covering both sides before she was done.  Then she slammed the book she'd been looking at shut and hissed to the empty room, "I've got it."

* * *

"Ste!  STE!"

"Wha'?" said Stephen sleepily as he opened the door that led from Snape's private rooms to the classroom.  He blinked blearily up at his adopted sister and asked, "What time is it?"

"Around six.  C'mon!"

"Can't I get dressed?"

Sheyne looked down at Stephen's tattered old shirt and worn sweatpants.

"Fine.  Get dressed.  But do it fast."

Stephen wrinkled his nose, green eyes suspicious.  He grumbled, "It'd be nice if I knew what was going on," before he disappeared back into the rooms.  When he reappeared, he was clad in a pair of stonewashed jeans with the knees completely worn through and a black t-shirt with a glowing green skull on the front.

"Okay, I'm ready."

"Well, close the door and let's go.  Is Papa awake?"

"Snape?  Shey, its Saturday."

"It is?" exclaimed Sheyne as the two of them walked across the room.

Stephen gave her an odd look and said, "You're really out of the loop, aren't you?"

Sheyne sighed and rubbed her hand over her face as they walked.  She let out a low growl and said, "I've been up all night looking for that charm.  I haven't had _time_ to think of what day it was."

"So you found it?" asked Stephen, eyes brightening.

"Yep.  It took me twenty-five books and who knows how much ink and paper to find it but I did."  She looked down at him and continued, "And now that we've got it, when should we do it?"

"Today."

"Today?"

"Today."

Sheyne nodded and said, "Alright.  Let me set up an Illusion Charm outside the Great Hall and we can hide there and wait for Harry.  But I have to warn you, you'll have to trust me to tell you what happens when I cast the charm."

"Why?" asked Stephen.  "Dumbledore cast that spell on me so I could see magic!"

"I know he did, Ste, but this charm only lets the person casting the spell see it.  All Dumbledore's spell does is allow you to see what we see, not everything."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Let's go.  When does Harry get up?"

Sheyne shrugged.  "It depends."

"Well then LET'S GO!"

* * *

"How long have we been sitting here?"

"About an hour and a half.  Why?"

"Because my ass hurts."

Sheyne looked at her little brother and said, "Y'know, Mum would've skinned your hide for saying that."

Stephen nodded.  "I know.  But it would've been fun to see her get you after you'd started laughing at me."

Sheyne snorted then nudged Stephen, pointing down the corridor.

"There they are!"

"Well get out your wand!" snapped Stephen, peering through the illusion at Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming down the corridor.

Sheyne pulled her wand out of the special holster her father had insisted she buy along with.  'In times like these,' he had said, 'with Voldemort risen and back in power, one had to be prepared to pull their wand in an instant.  Especially you.'  Her wand was eleven and a quarter inches of dragon tree wood, a wood that Mr. Ollivander the wand-maker had gotten sometime in the Canary Islands as that was the only place it grew.  The core was a hair from a Darcorn, a type of unicorn that was completely black with a crooked horn of ebony.  Her wand was the only one that had a core of that type and was one of two made of the rare dragon tree wood.  Apparently her mother's had been the other.

Now she drew it and aimed at Harry as Stephen bounced up and down beside her.

"C'mon, c'mon!  He's getting away!"

Sheyne snapped her head towards him, amber eyes glittering dangerously.  She spat, "Do you want me to do this or not?"

"Y-yes."

"Then _sit.  Down_."

"Meep," said Stephen, sitting down.  Sheyne scowled at him then aimed at Harry again.  She checked the incantation she'd written down on the piece of paper then looked back up.

"_Aspicio Parens!_"

A flood of light blue motes flooded out of Sheyne's wand and spiraled towards Harry.  As they struck, he halted, one hand going to his forehead.

"Harry?" said Hermione in a worried tone.

"Mate, what's wrong?" asked Ron.

Harry shook his head and said, "Nothing.  Just…dizzy."

"Lack of food, I say!"

Harry grinned at Ron and said, "I suppose.  Let's go."

As the trio walked off, Stephen turned to look at Sheyne, who had collapsed against the wall and turned as white as one of the ghosts.  He reached forward and shook her arm gently.

"Shey.  Shey, what's wrong?  What'd you see?"

Sheyne shook her head then looked at her adopted brother.  She stared at him for a long moment before she spoke.

"You were right," she breathed.  "My God, you were _right_!"

Stephen gasped.  "So…so…"

Sheyne nodded slowly.

"Harry's my brother."

Aspicio Parens – See Parents


	15. Chapter 15 :: November 25, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 15 :: November 25, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Night_

"Harry."

Harry looked up at Sheyne as she ran up to him later at diner, her cheeks flushed as though she had been running.

"Is something wrong?"

Sheyne looked at Ron and Hermione then back at Harry.

"I have to talk to you," she said.

As Ron and Hermione began to rise with Harry, Sheyne shook her head and said, "_Alone_."

Harry frowned at her then shrugged at the other two and followed her out of the Hall.

"What was that about?" asked Ron, watching them as they went.

Hermione frowned and replied, "I don't know, Ron.  But…I don't think it was good."

* * *

"What is it, Shey?"

Sheyne struggled for words as Harry leaned casually against the wall, unknowing he was imitating a position Sheyne had seen her father fall into several times over the summer.

"Uh…" she managed to get out before cursing vehemently.  "I don't know how to say this!"

Harry's brows furrowed and he said softly, "Say what?  Sheyne, what's going on?"

"Oh, hell, Harry," grumbled Sheyne, closing her eyes and leaning against the wall.  Harry, a worried expression on his face, reached out to touch her shoulder.  As soon as his hand settled, the same shock they'd felt the first night they'd met went through them.

But that wasn't all that happened.

The two of them suddenly found themselves standing in the corridor outside the Great Hall, only it was earlier.

And they were invisible.

"Are we dead?" questioned Sheyne.

"I – I don't think so," replied Harry, looking around.  He then saw himself, Ron, and Hermione coming down the corridor.  And then he spotted Sheyne and Stephen crouching behind a statue.  There was a shimmery sort of resistance over them, like…

_An Illusion_, thought Harry.

Sheyne gasped, seeing it too.

Harry whirled upon his, his face a mask of fury.  He grabbed her shoulders and shook her, snarling, "What the _hell_ were you and Stephen doing hiding under an illusion charm?"

Sheyne cried out against his tight grip, barely noticing that he resembled Snape even more now.

"Harry, your hurting me!"

"Tell me _why!_"

"Because Stephen thought you were Professor Snape's son!"

Harry released her, taking a step back.

"_What_?" he spat.

"Ste…Ste thought," gasped Sheyne, "he thought you were Snape's son.  I don't know how…but Harry…Harry, it's _true_.  You are!  You're my half-brother!"

Harry took a few more steps back, eyes wide and full of fear.  He blew out air through his nose and hissed, "It can't be true.  It can't!"

"Harry.  Harry, _look!_"

The two of them turned and saw the light blue motes from Sheyne's wand settle on the Harry from earlier and he stopped, lifting his hand to his forehead.  As they watched, two shadowy figures appeared behind him, Ron, and Hermione.  One was a woman of average height, her eyes Harry's brilliant emerald green but without the odd light that seemed to permeate his, her hair a red as deep as blood.  The other was a figure familiar to both of them; the shoulder-length hair black, the eyes burning obsidian.

Then suddenly they were back but instead of standing, they were on the floor.  Harry's hand slid from Sheyne's shoulder and the girl looked up into his face.  The fury she saw there was enough to make her pull back away from him.

"Harry…" she whispered, reaching out to him.

He jerked back, eyes narrowed as he spat, "Don't _touch me_."

"Harry," begged Sheyne.  "Harry, please…don't…"

"HE'S NOT MY _FATHER!_"

Harry rose angrily to his feet and stalked off, unknowing that his robes billowed out behind him in a style almost matching the Potion Master's own.  Sheyne watched him go then leaned over until her forehead touched her bent knees and wept.

* * *

It was Severus who found his daughter, still crying in the corridor.  He knelt beside her, face drawn and worried.

"Sheyne?  Sheyne, child, are you alright?"

More sobs rocked Sheyne's body and Severus ran a soothing hand up and down her back.  They sat like this for a long while until Sheyne finally looked up at her father, her face streaked with tears.  Severus slid down to the floor beside her and made her shift around until her head was leaning against his shoulder.  She sniffled and buried her hands in his robes, curling up against him as her mind raced.  How could she tell him now that she'd told Harry?

"Do you want to talk about it now?" asked Severus, peering curiously down at his daughter.

"Papa," said Sheyne softly.

"Yes, child."

"Were you ever…ever _with_ Lily Potter?"

Severus blinked at the question and stared down at Sheyne.

"How…  What brought on that question?"

"Just answer me," replied Sheyne, turned her head so she didn't look into her father's eyes.

Severus coughed politely and said, "Ah – perhaps we should continue this in my rooms."

"Okay."

Severus, looking very nervous, pulled himself and his daughter to their feet.  The two of them began to walk down the corridor, arms locked around each other.

* * *

As soon as Sheyne was settled in a comfortable chair by the fire in Severus' private rooms, she asked, "Now will you tell me?"

Severus nodded and began to pace back and forth.  He had taken off his robes and was simply dressed in the clothes he wore underneath them, his hands locked behind his back.  If anything, he looked…nervous.  And that was something Sheyne had never seen her father look.  Scared, yes…but _nervous_?

"I almost can't believe I'm telling you this," muttered Severus.

"Please, Papa."

Severus looked once at his daughter then sighed, nodding slightly.

"Yes, yes.  Alright.  And to answer your question: yes, I was with Lily Potter.  _Once_."

Sheyne gasped slightly.  _Oh, holy saints and demons…_

"Did – did Mum know?"

"Your mother?  No.  I never told anyone.  It was a mission, child.  Voldemort – I served him as a Death Eater, you recall – had sent me there.  Apparently James Potter had some information He had wanted."

Sheyne nodded.  Of the many things she had been told of over the summer, her father's double "loyalties" during the Dark Years had been one of them.  She was one of the many who knew his only reason for becoming a Death Eater was his father forcing him (under threat to kill his new wife) and because it would give them – those who followed Dumbledore – an insight on Death Eater attacks.

"Yes, well…  Dammit, hold on."

Sheyne watched as her father stalked across the room to a cabinet and pull out a long-necked bottle and a whiskey glass.  The only time he drank was when he was nervous.  Sheyne immediately thought, _What on earth?  Does – does he know that Harry's his SON?_

Severus poured a glass and knocked it back, pouring another before replacing the bottle and walking back over to the fire.  He began to pace again, the glass held loosely in his right hand.

"Where was I?  Yes, yes.  He picked me to go on the mission.  It was on October 31st, early in the morning, when I went.  And had I known the damnable consequences of that mission, I never would have went."  He spoke bitterly, taking a pull at the amber liquid in the glass before continuing.

"Potter had gone on a mission three days before.  Of course, he'd taken what'd Voldemort had wanted with him.  By the time I realized this, a _very_ drunk Lily had realized I was there and insisting I come with her.  She thought I was Potter because I'd taken Polyjuice Potion."  Severus shook his head at the memory and continued, "I never should have.  I never, ever should have done it.  I should have gotten out of that house the moment she'd appeared.  But I didn't.  I don't think I've ever known why."

Sheyne gaped at him for a moment as he downed the last of the amber liquid then gasped, "Papa…Papa, is…is…"

Severus looked mournfully as his empty glass then at Sheyne.  His obsidian eyes – which normally hid the emotions he felt – were a wide as windows.  As they say, eyes are the windows to the soul.  And his soul at the moment was full of grief.

"Is Potter my son?  Is that what your asking?"

Sheyne nodded numbly, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from her father.

"Yes.  Gods, _yes._  He was conceived that very morning and you that night.  Oh, ye gods, if Rowena knew!  But Harry…Harry must never know."

Sheyne immediately burst into tears and Severus looked at her in shock.  He quickly sat the glass down and knelt beside her chair, clasping her hands in his.

"Child, what's wrong?  Why are you crying?  Why were you crying in the corridor?"

Sheyne threw her arms about her father's neck and sobbed into his shoulder.

"I – I'm sorry, Papa!  I couldn't help it!  Ste, thought…he thought about it and made me promise to look!  And I…I…  I'm _sorry_, Papa!"

Severus, looking very confused, hugged his daughter's thin body to him.  He blew her short hair away from his face and asked softly, "Shey, child – what are you talking about?"

"He knows!  He – we – saw it!  I cast the spell and then we went back and _he saw it_ and I'm sorry, Papa!"

Sheyne sobbed into her father's shoulder harder as the man paled to the color of chalk.

"He…_knows?_"

Sheyne, tears streaking her face silver, looked up into Severus' distraught face.  Once more she whispered, "I'm sorry, Papa."

Severus kissed her forehead and leaned his head against hers.

"I know you are, child.  I know.  And now – Merlin help us – we must face his wrath."


	16. Chapter 16 :: November 25 & 26, 1995 ::

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 16 :: November 25 & 26, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Night/Morning_

Hermione and Ron found Harry slouched before the fireplace in the common room when they returned from dinner.  He was barely sitting in the chair, his body so far down that only the top of his head was visible over the armrest.

"Harry," said Hermione cautiously, walking over to him.  "What did Sheyne want?"

"Nothing," came the blunt reply.

"But…she seemed so…"

Harry leapt out of the chair so fast, it fell backwards onto the floor with a loud crash.  He whirled on Hermione, green eyes blazing with a brightness to rival that of _Avada Kedavra_.  The bushy-haired girl had a moment to think that that perhaps may have been where that odd light in his eyes had come from before she shrank back against Ron to get away from the fury in the dark-haired boy's voice.

"I don't _care_ what she seemed like!  I don't _fucking care!  You hear me!  I.  DON'T.  CARE!_"

"We hear you," said Ron, placing his hands on Hermione's shoulders, his ears tinged red in anger.  "But you don't have to yell at Hermione about it!"

Harry turned his burning eyes on Ron now and spat, "Then stay out of my _life!_"

"We will then!" yelled Ron back.

"_FINE!_"

Harry turned with that and stormed out of the common room just as Sheyne entered.  The two of them exchanged glances; Harry's fierce and stony, Sheyne's grieving and sad.  Then Harry was gone and the other two components of the Trio were rounding on the girl.

"What the _hell_ did you do to him?" spat Ron, throwing the words violently at her.

Sheyne shook her head and replied softly, "I don't want to talk about it."  As she moved to go past him, Ron grabbed her arm.

"_Tell me!_"

Sheyne snarled animalistically and for a moment Hermione and Ron could have sworn her face had begun to shift, fangs growing from her teeth and black fur sprouting on her face.  Then she threw off Ron's hand and snapped, "Stay the _fuck_ out of my business, Weasley!" before charging up the stairs to the fifth year girls dormitory.

Hermione and Ron stood there for a long moment looking at each other before both of them stated, "What was _that_ about?"

* * *

That night found Harry at the top of the Astronomy Tower, sitting with his back against the stones, long legs pulled up to his chest and arms wrapped around them.  His shoulder-length black hair was whipped about by the fierce winds, the light from the full moon making the red highlights shine blood red.

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes and letting his head drop so his chin rested on his chest, his forehead propped on his knees.

Once more, that odd shock had passed between him and Sheyne but this time something more had happened.  He had seen what had happened that morning.

And he'd found out that he wasn't really who he'd thought he was.

Of course, with all the changes that had been going on since his birthday, he really wasn't surprised.  Even _he_ had fiddled with the idea that James might not be his father and _had_ put Snape in that spot.

"Agh…  _Dammit!_"

But he hadn't expected it to be true!

Harry flew to his feet and stalked over to the stone wall that surrounded the pathway at the top of the tower.  He slammed his hands down on it, the palms stinging from the impact.  Looking down on the grounds, he let out a harsh, shaky breath.

"_Damn it all!_"

Harry screamed this out, listening as it rang out on the cold night air.  He ducked his head, closing his eyes again.

Just damn it all.

"Why," he whispered to the air, the trees, the stone's of the castle.  "Why does it always have to be me things like this happen to?  What the _hell_ about me is so attractive to pain and suffering?  Tell me – what is it?"

No answer came to him but the wind howling in his ears.

Harry sighed and opened his eyes as something cold – something that was not wind – struck his cheek.  He touched one cold hand to his cheek then looked up into the sky.  Little white specks had begun to fall.

It was snow.

* * *

The next morning Harry was waiting by the fire in the common room when Sheyne came now.  The girl didn't know he was there until he rose from the chair he'd been sitting in and moved to stop her from leaving the common room.

Amber eyes looked up at him and the girl spat in a slightly bitter tone, "I thought you'd be avoiding me."

"Well," said Harry, shrugging slightly, "I find that I can't really put blame on you."

"You wouldn't put any blame on Papa if you knew the story."

Harry gave her an open, child-like glance and bowed slightly, gesturing with one hand over at the couch nearest the fire.

"Then please, m'lady, sit.  Do tell."

Sheyne frowned slightly at him then snorted.

"Fine.  And you'd better now blow up on me.  Or _him_.  We all have the same temper."

Harry winced slightly and Sheyne smiled, saying, "Yes, you know that don't you?"

The raven-haired boy scowled down at her and said, "Just talk."

Sheyne gave him a stern look then walked over to the couch.  Harry followed her and as she as they were settled, she began.

* * *

"So," said Harry when Sheyne was done, "he was sent on a mission by Voldemort to get something from my…James and ended up sleeping with my mum because he couldn't resist?"

"He seemed to imply that she was very…ah – adamant."

Harry snorted then sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, an intense look of concentration on his face.  Sheyne frowned and looked worriedly at him.

"Harry?  Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes.  Fine.  Just…AH!"

Harry let out a scream and reeled back.  Sheyne gasped when she saw his scar, generally a pale brown, turning a violent red.  His face twisted in pain and she reached out to grasp his hand, clutching it tightly in her own.  Looking around to make sure no one had heard his scream, she began to softly say, "Easy, easy, brother.  It will all be over soon.  Don't worry.  I'm here.  I'm here…"  She reached out to touch his scar suddenly, as though she had no control over herself, and let out a scream as pain like nothing she'd ever felt soared up her arm and into her body.

By the time anyone had appeared in the common room, Harry's apparent vision had ceased and he was lying limply on the couch.  Sheyne lay crumpled on the floor, her body twitching every once in a while.

"GET MADAME POMFREY!"


	17. Chapter 17 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 17 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Midday_

Sheyne groaned and opened her eyes to find herself staring up at the white plaster ceiling of the infirmary.

"Oh, look," she said to herself.  "The infirmary.  _Again_."

"You should be glad anyone had the sense to bring you up here, girl," scolded Madame Pomfrey as she appeared quite suddenly beside Sheyne's bed.  "You and Mr. Potter had quite the spell.  It's been the talk of the school for days."

Sheyne's jaw dropped and she gasped, "_Days?_  We've been out for days?"

"Yes, my dear.  Mr. Potter is still out.  Though he does he mumbling about things."

"What sort of things?" asked Sheyne.

Madame Pomfrey smiled and patted Sheyne's hand.  "Nothing for you to worry about, m'girl.  You just get well.  Severus has been in here every moment he hasn't had class and when we didn't force him to eat.  Worried over the _both_ of you."

Sheyne gasped and sat up straight, her eyes bugging.  Sitting up, however, did not turn out to be a good thing to do right yet, as a wave of dizziness overcame her.  She slumped back against her pillows and moaned as Madame Pomfrey tutted over here.

"Childling, you can't go sitting up like that until you've got something in that belly.  You'll just get dizzy again.  And yes, I know of your and Mr. _Potter's_ rather odd connection."  The mediwitch smiled and added, "I helped bring the two of you into the world, you know!"

"Really?" asked Sheyne, finally getting the dizziness down.

"Yes, m'girl.  I actually pulled Harry into this world and you…well, my hand in yours wasn't that great, except to keep Rowena from taking Severus' head off.  I have always found it odd that the two of you were conceived and born on the same day.  Very curious…"

"Waitaminute.  _Born on the same day?_"

Madame Pomfrey nodded.

"Yes.  Unless I am much mistake and it is another child of a Rowena and Severus that I am thinking of…"

"No, no…  It's just…that _is_ really weird."

"Isn't it, though?  Now, m'dear girl, you are to get some food in that stomach and then _rest_."

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey."

Madame Pomfrey patted her hand again then walked over to check on the peacefully sleeping Harry before vanishing into her office.  Sheyne watched her for a moment then leaned over to pick at the food on the bedside table.

* * *

A few hours later, Sheyne was released from the infirmary.  Madame Pomfrey still hadn't told her what side effect she'd suffered from touching Harry's scar and she was determined to know.  So she began the long trek towards the dungeons.

As she passed through the entrance hall, a sound behind her alerted her to someone else in the room.  Turning, she saw a familiar robed and masked figure.

Grey eyes glared coldly at her from behind the mask as she snarled before her body Shifted, replaced by the sleek form of a black panther.  She lifted one black lip to show her gleaming fangs, a growl forming in her throat.

"If you think that's going to scare me, Sheyne Snape, you have another thing coming."

The panther snarled and leapt, claws outstretched at the man known as Lucius Malfoy.

He had his wand on her in an instant, crying out, "_Praestringo!_"  Silver ropes flew out of his wand and bound her paws together.  She let out a cry and fell to the floor, rolling before she came to a stop.  Muscles bunching, she made to snap the cords but another spell fell on her.

_"Carpo!_"

The cords now refused to budge and she began to yowl.  Malfoy snarled out, "_Silentio_," ceasing her last means of being found.  He then knelt down beside her and said, "And don't try to Shift out of those, my pretty.  If you do, they'll just shrink to accommodate whatever form you go to."

She glared at him and he laughed, eyes glinting maliciously.

"Your mine once more, my dear.  And this time, Severus won't be getting you back."

With that he waved his wand at her and she floated up into the air, bobbing behind him as they walked out.  A face in one of the high windows noticed them and began to run towards the Headmaster's office the moment they winked out of sight after passing the gates.

Carpo – Hold onto

Praestringo – To bind fast

Silentio – To Silence


	18. Chapter 18 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 18 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Night_

"SHE'S BEEN _WHAT?!_"

Dumbledore found it very unnerving to be facing a very, _very_ furious Harry and a deeply distraught Severus.  If anything, he'd been expecting their moods to be opposite.

Harry kicked a chair in rage and spat, "How the _hell_ did anyone get on the grounds to kidnap her?  I thought there'd been precautions since what happened _last year_!"  He glared at Dumbledore here.

"Harry, I assure you that there _were_ precautions…"

Harry, eyes blazing brightly, snarled, "Then how the _bloody fricking hell_ did a Death Eater get on the grounds and _kidnap Sheyne!_"

"Harry, calm down," said Severus softly.  "We have to think about this…"

Harry whirled on the man that had been revealed to be his father only a few days ago.

"How can you be so calm?  This is _Sheyne_, we're talking about!  Voldemort could put her under Imperious and control her Shifting.  She'd be the best damn Death Eater he'd have!"

"You think I don't know that?" roared Severus, rising out of his seat to glare at his son.  The boy stared back defiantly, his height matching his father's exactly.  "I know what will happen to her!  But its _you_ I'm more worried about!"

"I'm not the one they kidnapped!"

"Harry, Severus…" said Dumbledore, trying to bring peace before the battling father and son tore his office apart.

"And you'd better be glad of it!"

"What's so special about me?" spat Harry.  "Why does Voldemort want me so badly?"

Severus snarled, "You _really_ want to know why?"

Dumbledore sprang out of his seat, blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"_Severus!_"

Severus snapped without turning his head towards the Headmaster, "He's got to know sometime, Albus."

"Now is not the time, Severus!"

"I can't think of a better one!" replied the Potions Master.

"Just _tell me!_" bellowed Harry.

"Your Slytherin's Heir!" screamed Severus.  As Harry immediately turned pale, he continued in a softer tone, "Your mother was the niece of Tom Riddle.  His father remarried after leaving Riddle's mother, not knowing his new wife was the sister of his last wife and a witch as well.  Their daughter, Evelyn, was a Squib and married – ironically – another Squib, Samuel Evans."

Harry's breath came faster as he gasped, "I – I'm related to that…that _monster!_"

Severus grabbed his son's shoulders and shook them.  The boy gasped and looked at him, eyes wide with disbelief and shock.

"No.  Never think like that.  Your related to Tom Riddle, who was nothing like Voldemort until his fifth year.  _Your nothing like him!_"

Harry gasped, "That's why…that's why he wanted to kill me."

"Yes," said Dumbledore, eying Severus distastefully.  "He wanted to rid himself of his only competition, his only still living relative.  A relative he believed to be of Slytherin and Gryffindor blood."  The blue eyes flicked to Severus as he added, "Which we now know is not true."

Harry shook violently before he looked up at the Headmaster and hissed, "I've been lied to all my life.  About my family, about _everything!_"

"Harry," said Dumbledore.

"No!" bellowed the teen, leaping out of his seat, eyes blazing with otherworldly fury.  "I won't hear it.  That – that – _creature_ has my sister and we're sitting here doing _nothing_!"

"If you fall…"

"I don't give _shit_ if I fall into Voldemort's hands!"  Harry clenched his fists and said in a very soft voice, "I just want Shey back."  He then glared at the two other men and fled the room.

"Well," said Dumbledore without a trace of amusement.  "That went well."

Severus promptly scowled at him.

* * *

Harry stalked into the Great Hall a few moments later, everything about him screaming 'Pissed off'.  Not even the twins attempted to do anything when he sat down across from Ron and Hermione and began to eat.

"Harry?"

"_What?_" snapped Harry, scowling at Hermione.  Generally, he wouldn't have done that as the girl could easily figure out whom he looked like from it.  But as he was in a blind fury, he really didn't care if the whole world found out.  And by the way things were going, he wouldn't have been surprised if the entire world didn't already know everything about him and he was the only one it was being kept secret from.

"I – I was just wondering if you were okay.  You were out for two days."

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine."

Ron suddenly snapped, "What's your problem?"

Harry snarled right back, "_My problem?_  What's _your_ problem, Ron?  What do you have against Sheyne?"

"She's a _Snape!_"

Harry rose from his seat and in one fluid motion drove his fork deep into the table, the tongs landing right inbetween the ring and middle fingers of the Ron's right hand.  He then bellowed, for all to hear and damn the consequences, "_SO AM I!!_"

With that he turned and stormed out, robes billowing behind him in a style that matched the Potion Master's exactly.  The silence in the Hall after his statement was short-lived as everyone immediately began to talk.  Hermione quickly ran out after her friend, followed hurriedly by Ron.

* * *

They found him at the top of the Astronomy Tower leaning on the stone railing, his hair and robes whipped every which way by the fierce winds that seemed to be becoming a trend during the winter.

"Harry?" said Hermione, rather unwilling to leave the shelter provided by the doorway.

He turned towards them, his eyes seeming to glow in the dark.  A sneer crossed his features and he snapped, "Why won't you just leave me _alone?_"

"Because we're your friends," replied Hermione, pulling her cloak tightly about her and stepping into the wind.

Harry snorted, closing his eyes.

"Ah, yes.  My friends.  Well, friends of mine, how do you feel about being friends with a Snape _and_ – let's not forget – Slytherin's Heir?"

Hermione's jaw dropped and so did Ron's.  The ginger-haired boy gasped, "Wha – what?"

"Yes," said Harry, drawing out the 's' like a snake's hiss.  "It seems I'm the great-nephew of one Tom Riddle, a.k.a. Lord Voldemort, Scourge of Existence."  He laughed harshly and added, "Isn't it grand?"

"I hope that was sarcasm."

Harry turned to smile grimly at Hermione.

"Oh, believe me, it was.  I get no joy from being related to him.  None at all.  I get the same amount of joy from being related to him as I get from being stared at when people realize who I am."  He laughed again.  "Ah, if Skeeter could hear this now.  What a story that'd be."

"How can you joke about this?" screamed Hermione.

"Being as joking about it is the only thing keeping me from going and kill the bastard for kidnapping Sheyne, I find I can do it pretty well," replied Harry.  He then looked at Ron and said, "Nothing to say, Ron?"

The ginger-haired boy shook his head then snapped, "You should have been put in Slytherin."

As he turned and began to head down the spiral staircase, Harry strode to the door and yelled after him, "Or perhaps that would be _you_!"  Ron made no remark, just kept walking.

"He's an idiot," said Hermione as Harry leaned against the doorframe, his pale cheeks flushed from the wind.  She walked over to him and gently pushed him inside, pulling the heavy door to the outside closed.  Then, linking her arm in his, she began to lead him down the stairs.

"He's _always_ been an idiot, Herm," said Harry, sighing heavily.  He rubbed his eyes then asked, "What have I just done?"

"Besides revealing yourself to be Voldemort's great-nephew to me and Ron?"

"Yes, besides that very sickening fact."

"Told the entire school Snape's your father."

"Ah," said Harry, tilting his head slightly.  "Yes, I remember now.  What, may I ask, was the general reaction?"

"Surprise."

"And?"

"Disbelief.  I think the twins think it's a big joke."

Harry laughed.

"Oh, won't they be surprised."

"What happened to Sheyne?"

Harry sobered immediately at that question and replied, "Apparently Colin was taking a picture of the grounds out one of the windows in the tower and saw a Death Eater walking across the grounds with a bound panther floating behind him.  Of course, Snape immediately knew it was Malfoy and we knew that the panther was Sheyne."

"Hold on, hold on.  The _panther_ was _Sheyne_?"

Harry groaned, "Oh, I have a lot of explaining to do, don't I?"

"You can bet your life on it."

"I'd rather not bet my life on anything right about now.  I might need it soon."

"Doing what?"

Harry gave his friend a tight-lipped smile.

"Saving my sister.  What else?"


	19. Chapter 19 :: November 29, 1995 :: Somew

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 19 :: November 29, 1995 :: Somewhere in an Undisclosed Location_

"Your Shifter, My Lord!"

"Very good, Lucius.  Very good indeed."

"Thank you, My Lord."

"How did you get her?  I heard that Dumbledore has – precautions."

"Precautions a child with any knowledge of the Dark Arts could get through, My Lord.  My son also helped me."

"Very good.  You shall certainly be rewarded for this, Lucius.  It is much better than when you returned without this child."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Lucius?"

"Yes, My Lord?"

"Did I permit you leave?"

"No, My Lord."

"_Crucio!_"

Sheyne jerked awake to the sound of screams echoing in her ears.  The sound was loudly magnified as the panther's ears were meant to pick up the sounds of animals moving in the brush.  She writhed, yowling out in a silent voice until it stopped.

"Very interesting.  You may leave, Lucius."

"Thank you, My Lord."

Sheyne took deep, shaky breath as she realized where she must be.  Her fear was confirmed as a nimble-fingered hand brushed over the muzzle of her panther form and she opened her eyes to see a man in a black robe crouched beside her.  His eyes were burning red with a slit pupil and his voice was enough to drive anyone to drink.  But his face was the scariest – and that was the face of a skull.

As she struggled to get away from him, he threw back his head and laughed, his pale hand running over her head.  She snapped at him, very disappointed when she missed.

"Ah, my beautiful Shifter.  Feisty.  Like your mother."

Sheyne growled, the sound not to be heard because of the silencing spell cast upon her by Malfoy.

"Yes, your mother.  A beautiful woman she was.  Gifted with the Sight and almost one of my loyal followers.  Unlike that father of yours…"

Sheyne thought she stopped breathing for a moment.  He knew of her father's real loyalties!

Voldemort laughed again, stroking her ears.

"Yes, my dear, I know of your father's loyalties.  Why do you think I had my dear Lucius kill your mother – as much as her death grieved me – and kidnap you?"

_Malfoy!_ spat Sheyne bitterly in her mind.  He would _pay dearly_ for her mother's death!

"So, we shall just sit here and wait until Severus and your darling half-brother come to rescue you."

_Oh God_, thought Sheyne when those words had settled on her mind and Voldemort had seated himself in a stone throne carved with snakes.

_He knows._


	20. Chapter 20 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 20 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwarts - Night_

"So Sheyne is a Shifter."

"Yes."

"And your half-sister."

"Yes."

"And her mother was a Shifter."

"Yes."

"And had the Sight."

"Yes."

"And Snape was forced to sleep with your mum because she was drunk and he was under Polyjuice Potion to look like James Potter?"

"Yes."

"Can you say anything other than 'yes'?"

"No."

Hermione sighed and Harry smiled wryly at her before both turned to see several members of Gryffindor entering the Tower.  All of them looked at Harry as though scared half to death of him and hurried up the stairs to their dormitories.

Hermione frowned after them and asked, "What was _that_ about?"

Harry smiled in amusement and replied, "It's the Snape charm."

"The ability to clear out a room by its occupants only knowing you're a Snape?"

"Yes, that's the one.  Rather handy unless you're looking for a conversation."

"Harry."

The two of them turned to see Severus standing in the portrait hole, his face very drawn and his eyes flickering with worry.

"Sir?" said Harry, standing.

"We need you."

"To rescue Sheyne?"

Severus inclined his head slightly and said, "Quickly," before vanishing from sight.

Harry turned to Hermione and said, "Duty calls."  As he started forward, she grabbed his wrist tightly.  When he turned to face her, she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him.

"Be careful," she whispered before turning and fleeing up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

Harry watched her go, his eyes flickering with disbelief as his hand moved up to brush over his lips.  He then smiled and vanished out the portrait hole after his father.

* * *

"So, we find Voldemort's secret stronghold, rush in with only twenty or so Aurors at our disposal, an ex-Death Eater, and Slytherin's second Heir, and rescue Sheyne without getting ourselves killed?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore.

Severus rolled his eyes as Harry yelled, "YOU CALL THAT A 'PLAN'!"

"Yes."

"That's not a 'plan'!  That's a bloody death trap!  We'll be butchered!"

"Not right away," said Severus, earning a scowl.

"Ah, yes," said Harry sarcastically.  "We'll have two minutes to say our prayers and then we'll die.  Y'know, it really was my dream way to die at the hands of Death Eaters."

"Better a Death Eater than Voldemort," said Severus.

"I retract my original statement and I correct it.  The _rest of you_ will have two minutes to say your prayers then die.  _I_ shall have two minutes to pray my death doesn't take to long to come about."

"Your very optimistic," said Madame Pomfrey, who had apparently gone through Auror training with Severus, and was going with them for that reason and because they'd probably need her skills when the battle was done.  If they won, of course. 

"Thanks," said Harry, bowing slightly.  "I get it from tall, dark, and broody over there."

Severus snorted.

Madame Pomfrey said, "I think Albus' plan is a good idea."

Harry laughed and exclaimed, "We might as well go in there _alone_ with no backup plan to get out, no Aurors to help us, with bells tied to our boots and moldy cheese in our pockets!"

"That's not a plan," said Severus."

"Actually, it's the same plan only more suicidal with a little stupidity mixed in," corrected Harry.

"So, what do you propose, Harry?" said Dumbledore, steepling his fingers and looking at the teen.

"Well," said Harry, looking thoughtful.  "The Aurors are a good idea but I have a really good idea."

"Yes?"

"WE FIND WHERE THE SOD VOLDEMORT'S STRONGHOLD IS BEFORE WE TRY TO STORM IT!"

"That would be a rather good idea," said Madame Pomfrey.  "Severus, don't you know?"

"I just Apparate wherever he calls from, Poppy.  It's not as though we can simply through some Floo powder in the fireplace and call out 'Voldemort's Stronghold' and expect to get there."

A glint flashed in Harry's eyes and he mused, "That's not a bad idea…"

"What?" exclaimed Severus.  "Oh, no, your not thinking…"

"That Voldemort's _that_ big of an idiot?  We never know, do we?"

Severus groaned and Madame Pomfrey smiled grimly at him, saying, "Its worth a try, Severus."

"If we die, I'll make sure to make the two of your afterlife's a living Hell."

"Yes, sir."

"Of course, Severus."

Severus groaned and watched as Harry took a pinch of Floo Power and threw it in Dumbledore's fireplace, yelling out, "Voldemort's Stronghold!" before leaping in and vanishing.  Madame Pomfrey followed him and an even more distraught looking Severus followed her.  Just as the last of the party had disappeared, Dumbledore called out, "Should I…oh, dear."  He looked at the now normal flames and looked at Fawkes.

"It seems they are on their own."


	21. Chapter 21 :: November 29, 1995 :: Volde

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 21 :: November 29, 1995 :: Voldemort's Fortress_

"Merlin's beard…  It actually worked!"

Madame Pomfrey looked around the room they had landed in and added, "At least…I think it did."

"It did," said Severus.  "There's only one place in the world that looks like this and this is it."

"Is it also the only place in the world that doesn't have heating?" grumbled Harry, scowling as he rubbed his arms.

"Probably."

"Let's just find Sheyne and get out of here," said Madame Pomfrey, moving towards the door.  Severus quickly grabbed her wrist, pulling her backwards.

"Severus?  What…?"

"Only Death Eater's can open the doors.  Precaution against Aurors and escaping prisoners."  He released her and moved past, opening the door wide and peering out into the cold, stone corridor.

"No one.  Come on.  We have to hurry."

The three of them quickly left the room and filed into the corridor, Severus leading them.

* * *

Voldemort chuckled as the tiny replica of the door in the small model of the fortress flashed green.  He looked at the bound panther on the floor and said, "Well, my dear, it seems they have finally arrived to rescue you.  Only…it won't be a rescue, not will it?"

He laughed at that and went back to watching the model as Sheyne writhed against her bonds once more.

She had to get out to warn her father and brother!

* * *

"Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo."

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to pick a tunnel."

Harry gave his father a disbelieving look and said blandly, "You must be joking.  'Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo?'"

"Yes."

Harry turned to Madame Pomfrey and said, "Are you sure he was a Slytherin?"

The witch nodded.

"He was."

"'Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo?'"

Madame Pomfrey waved a hand and muttered, "He picked it up from me."

"Ah.  PICK A BLOODY TUNNEL!"

Severus glared over his shoulder at Harry then pointed to the right.  "That way."

"Oh, is that what the miney's told you?"

"No, that's the way I remember going to the throne room."

"Throne room?" said Harry.

"I believe it implies a throne," said Madame Pomfrey.

"Stop bickering and let's go," growled Severus.  "He's probably keeping Sheyne in that room with him."

"Why would he be doing that?"

Severus looked at Madame Pomfrey but Harry answered.

"Because he'd be expecting us to come after her."

"It's a trap?"

"I _said_ we were going to be butchered," growled Harry, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We are _not_ going to be butchered!" exclaimed Madame Pomfrey.

Severus sighed and said, "We will if we don't have a plan.  And that does not include tying bells to our boots and putting moldy cheese in our pockets."  He glared at Harry here.

"Hey," said Harry, "Mold is innately frightening."

"Shut up."

Harry shrugged and the three set off again down the right tunnel.  Not long after that they reached a junction where four of the stone corridors came together.

"This doesn't feel right," murmured Madame Pomfrey.

"And for good reason," spouted a voice from nowhere.

Severus' wand was instantly in his hand and Harry was surprised to find as soon as he thought about his wand, it appeared in his hand.  Madame Pomfrey was slower getting out her wand but did get it out as the two wizards eyed the four corridors.

"Now, now, Severus," said the voice.  "You wouldn't want to hurt me, now would you?"

Severus blinked and gasped, "_William_."

William Tairn, fourteen years older since Severus had last seen him after Rowena's death, stepped out of what could only be an illusion and smiled grimly at the three of them.

"Hello old friend.  Come to rescue your dear daughter?"

"You son of a bitch!" snapped Severus.  "You were the traitor!"

"Yes!" cried William.  "I was the one!"  His voice softened as he added, "Did you _really_ think you'd get away with betraying the Master, Severus?"

"He was never my _Master_, William.  And he never will be."

"So be it," said William.  "You and Pomfrey will have to die then."  His eyes, cold and shrewd, fell upon Harry, who glared at him.  "The boy on the other hand…"

Severus stepped in front of Harry and lifted his wand to point at William's heart.  Twenty other wands protruded from other illusions around them but Severus didn't make notice of them.  He just glared at William and snarled, "If you _touch_ Harry, I'll kill you."

Harry blinked and stared at the dark clothed man who was his father.  He had never been meant to be the man's son and here he was defending him!  Was this really Severus Snape, the greasy Potions Master?

"Now, now, Severus," said William, smiling as the Death Eaters around them dispelled the illusion charms, keeping their wands trained on the three in the center of their circle.  "Let's not be hasty, shall we?"

Severus growled and glanced out of the corner of his eyes at the Death Eaters.  William took that moment and grabbed the older man's arm, wrenching it to the side.  There was a _pop_ as the bones at the shoulder disconnected and Severus let out a scream through his teeth.  Harry leapt at William, hands twisted into claws as an animalistic snarl bubbled up out of his throat, before he even knew what he was doing.  The still smiling man effortlessly grabbed his hands and twisted him around so Harry's back was against his chest.  Struggling, the teen watched as the other Death Eater's jerked Severus to his feet, not caring about his injured shoulder.  Madame Pomfrey spat in one's face as he tried to grab her and was slapped for it.

"Stop it!"

William laughed coldly and spoke into Harry's ear, "'Stop it?'  You want us to stop, little serpent?"

Harry shook with rage as he spat, "Yes."

"Then we shall."  He then turned to the others and said, "Kill them."

"_NO!_" yelled Harry, struggling to get out of William's grip, but the man was already dragging him away.  He kicked up hard in the leg, jabbed him with his elbows – he did everything he could think of.

"Harry!" cried Severus as the Death Eaters dragged him and Madame Pomfrey away.

Harry managed to twist about before William had shoved him through a door and yell back at him.

"_Father!_"

A/N: The bit about mold comes from the Draco Series.  Bless Cassandra Claire for her amazing series!  If you haven't read it…GO!  READ IT!  I COMMAND THEE!


	22. Chapter 22 :: November 29, 1995 :: Volde

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 22 :: November 29, 1995 :: Voldemort's Fortress_

Voldemort was leaning over the model again when a door opened and William entered backwards.  Sheyne lifted her head as he turned and threw someone onto the floor.  The person moaned and murmured something that sounded like, "Bastard."

William bowed to the snake-like figure by the model then waved at the person on the floor.

"Harry Potter, My Lord."

_NO!_ screamed Sheyne in her head.  _Please, God, NO!_

Voldemort smirked and said, "Very good, William.  Very good.  I trust you shall take care of our other…_guests_?"

"Yes, My Lord."

William bowed again and left.  As the door closed behind him, Voldemort walked over to Harry and grabbed his long hair, pulling his head up.  Green eyes blazed with rage as Harry glared at Voldemort, his scar turning red as he did so.

"Ah, Harry.  So we meet again.  My dear grand-nephew."

Sheyne blinked.  _Grand-nephew?!_

"Yes, indeed," said Voldemort, cupping Harry's chin with his other hand.  "Trust my father to marry my mother's sister.  How was he to know his wife was a Squib?  In fact, it is amazing that you even have magic.  And not just Slytherin blood…oh, no.  Had you just that I could have killed you as I had my niece – your mother."  His thumb stroked Harry's cheek as he continued, "The Snape's are descended from Merlin himself, you know.  Not even Severus knows that."

"And soon, Severus won't be alive and the two of you, the last of the Snape's will be _mine_."

Harry hissed, "We'll _never_ be _yours_, dear _great-uncle_.  _Never!_"

"Oh, but you _will_, my boy!  You will!"  Voldemort smiled coldly and added, "There are more ways than one to control a mind.  And I shall evoke the strongest of all these to bend the two of you to my will."  He stepped back from Harry now and closed his eyes, beginning to utter words in a language neither of them recognized.

Harry watched him in horror then rushed to Sheyne's side, pulling at the cords about her paws.  Sheyne gave him a look that clearly said 'Run' but Harry shook his head, face set in determination.

"We leave here together or we don't leave at all!"

Sheyne felt her heart sink and rise at his words then turned her eyes back to Voldemort.  A green glow had begun to form around his tall, thin body and she looked at Harry in panic.  The other teen had seen it too and had drawn his wand, which no one had thought to take away from him obviously.  He pointed it at Sheyne's bonds and snarled, "_Redimio genitus!_"

The cords stayed put and the glow around Voldemort was getting brighter as his voice became louder in its chant.

Harry pointed his wand again and howled, "_Redimio genitus!_" putting every ounce of magic he could summon into the spell.  There was a flash of white light and the two of them were thrown away from each other.

But Sheyne's bonds were gone.

Staggering to her feet, she led the panther form slid away and rushed over to Harry's limp form.  He had hit the wall harder than she.  Gently lifting him up, she felt something sticky.  Pulling her hand away from his head, she saw blood.

_Oh God…_

Looking up at Voldemort, she saw that the green light had enveloped him and was slowly going to all corners of the room.  Inching backwards, Harry's body weighing her down, she shoved herself into a corner, Harry's head in her lap.

"_Caethiwa hyn 'n ddau ata. Ad 'n hwy ewyllysia bod dendio a chloddia bod 'n hwy s. Ad 'n hwy feddyliau bod chloddia._"

Sheyne closed her eyes as the green light got closer and she felt a force tugging at something inside of her.  The force began to pull at whatever it had found inside her and she screamed.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

"_Caethiwa hyn 'n ddau ata. Ad 'n hwy ewyllysia bod chloddia a chloddia bod 'n hwy s. Ad 'n hwy feddyliau bod chloddia._"

"What is that?" asked Madame Pomfrey as the words echoed through the fortress.  Even the Death Eaters who had been dragging them had stopped at the words.

Severus lifted his head and listened for a moment, his face going as pale as chalk the next minute.

"It's Welsh.  _'Bind these two to me.  Let their will be mine and mine be their's.  Let their thoughts be mine.'_  Merlin's beard, he's trying to control Harry and Sheyne!"

"Finally caught on, did you?" asked William as he strode up.  He glared at the other Death Eaters and snarled, "What are you waiting for?  Kill them?"

"Here?" asked one of the Death Eaters in surprise.

"Yes, _here_, you fool.  Kill them both."

Madame Pomfrey and Severus were thrown against the wall, causing Severus to let out another hiss of pain as his dislocated shoulder hit first.  Twenty wands drew on them and William sneered, "Goodbye, Severus, Madame Pomfrey."

"You'll burn in hell for this, William!" yelled Severus, rising to his feet despite the wands trained on him.  His obsidian eyes burned into the younger man's as he howled, "You're allowing that monster to destroy the minds of two _children!_"

"For _our_ cause!  This is what they were _born for_, Severus!  You made sure of that!"

Severus replied, "They were born because they were born, William.  No other reason than that."

There was a short silence then William said again, "Kill them."

The twenty wands lifted but before their owners could speak the words of the Killing Curse, Severus had pulled Madame Pomfrey tight against his side with his good arm and forced the other upward, causing it to drop back into place.  His fingers traced a triangle within a circle in the air as he yelled out words in the same language that had rang through the fortress not a minute before.

"_Rip fysga 'r eneidiau chan hyn choegddynion amlha! Anrheithia 'n hwy brydiau a bwra 'u i lawr!_"

Silver light flooded the corridor, blinding Madame Pomfrey and Severus.  When the light had cleared, they opened their eyes to find bodies strewn throughout the hallway.  Madam Pomfrey gasped and saw a silver light out of the corner of her eye.  She looked up at Severus and gasped again.  He was glowing silver!

Severus looked down at her as the light faded and said, "Later for explanations, Poppy.  We have to make sure that spell didn't work!"

Madame Pomfrey nodded numbly and was jerked along as Severus grabbed her hand, leaping over the strewn bodies and breaking into a run.

* * *

"Uh…"

Sheyne's eyelids moved and opened slightly before blinking a few times and opening completely.  The girl looked around the room and saw, to her amazement, that Voldemort was gone.

"But…," she whispered.  "How?"

"Turn out the light," murmured a voice from her lap.  Sheyne looked down and gasped.  Harry was glowing!  Hold on…  So was she!  What on earth was going on?

Sheyne lifted her hand and stared at her as the silver light that had surrounded it faded.  She looked down at Harry and saw that his was fading too but that'd she'd been wrong.  He hadn't just been silver but that same green that had surrounded Voldemort.

The door suddenly flew open and Sheyne Shifted to the panther's body, moving to stand over Harry's limp form, her lips pulled back from her glistening fangs.

Severus entered the room first, coming to a complete halt when he saw Voldemort's body then turning to see the panther and Harry's limp body.  "Sheyne," he gasped as the panther moved away from Harry's body and turned effortlessly back into herself.

"Papa!" she cried as she ran into his arms.

Madame Pomfrey entered next, her reaction to Voldemort's body being to let out a little shriek then turn to see Harry.  She quickly rushed over to him and began to scan him with her wand (which had been recovered from William's robes).  Sheyne pulled herself away from her father's embrace long enough to say, "He's bleeding on the back of his head, Madame Pomfrey."

Severus looked distraught at that and looked at the mediwitch.  He knew enough about the profession from watching his old friend to know that a head wound could be very serious.

"He'll be alright, won't be, Poppy?"

Madame Pomfrey was silent for a few moments as she studied the wound then stopped the bleeding with a charm.  She looked at Severus and replied, "He should be.  I think all he did was scrape his head on the wall."

"But…"

"But…I'm not sure.  There could be some damage."

Severus paled then said, "Let's just get him out of here.  The rest of the Death Eaters must have heard those spells."

"They can't Apparate!" said Madame Pomfrey, gesturing at Sheyne and the unconscious Harry.

"They don't have to."  Severus reached into his robes and pulled out a rusty pocketwatch.  "I made a portkey back to the school.  It should land us right outside the gates and if they barge in here before then, they won't have time to drop the wards and come after us."

Madame Pomfrey nodded and Severus knelt beside her and Harry, his arm thrown over Sheyne's shoulder.  The mediwitch took a tight grip on Harry's arm and Sheyne grasped his ankle as Madame Pomfrey grabbed the pocketwatch.

The other Death Eaters made it into the room in enough time to see the four of them vanish.

Redimio genitus – Bind begone

Caethiwa hyn 'n ddau ata. Ad 'n hwy ewyllysia bod chloddia a chloddia bod 'n hwy s. Ad 'n hwy feddyliau bod chloddia.– Welsh; Bind these two to me.  Let their will be mine and mine be their's.  Let their thoughts be mine.

Rip fysga 'r eneidiau chan hyn choegddynion amlha! Anrheithia 'n hwy brydiau a bwra 'u i lawr! – Welsh; Rip loose the souls from these fools abound!  Destroy their minds and cast them down!

A/N: I don't know where the heck most of that came from, so don't ask.  I'll explain about the Welsh in the next chapter.  And has anyone noticed my trend of pocketwatches as portkeys?


	23. Chapter 21 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 23 :: November 29, 1995 :: Hogwarts - Midnight_

Albus Dumbledore and Stephen Outlaw were waiting outside the Hogwarts gate, its arching iron bars barred by the fierce countenance of two winged boars.  The light from the full moon above them shot a beam of its white light down through the trees and made silver and golden fire of the ancient wizard and Muggle teenager's hair.  Their eyes were shadowed but bright blue and pale green could be seen, piercing the dark night as they waited, both wondering if four people were going to return from a harsh venture.

"Is it time?"

Dumbledore looked down at Stephen as the fourteen-year-old asked that question in a quavering voice.  He had not the courage his adopted sister did, but he had some courage.  Perhaps – if he'd been a wizard – he'd have made a fine Gryffindor.

The old wizard placed a withered hand on the young boy's shoulder and said softly, "Not yet.  We do not know how long it might have taken them to have succeeded…"

"Sir…what – what if they didn't?"  Pale green eyes peered up at Dumbledore, worry flickering clearly in their depths, as Stephen spoke.

"Then it shall have been a great loss to the wizarding world.  But – never fear, my boy.  I have great faith in Severus, young Harry, and Poppy Pomfrey.  They shall prevail."

Stephen nodded and relaxed slightly in the dark.  Dumbledore smiled and turned back to watching the area before them where the portkey he had given Severus would return them.

Quite suddenly four figures appeared, three crouching beside the limp figure of the fourth.  More moonlight filtered through the trees and both of the two standing beside the gate could make out the blood red highlights in the black hair.

"Poppy?" called Dumbledore.  "Severus?"

"Headmaster," replied Severus' voice.  "Albus…open the gate.  Harry's been injured."

Dumbledore nodded (though none could see it in the dark) and turned to the gates, placing a withered hand against them and muttering the phrase that opened them.  They swung open and Madame Pomfrey hurried through, her most well known charge floating in the air behind her.  Severus followed, his arm about Sheyne shoulders, then about Stephen's as the boy attached himself to his guardian's other side.  The two adopted siblings hands intertwined behind father and guardian's back and Dumbledore smiled as he stepped through the gates and they closed behind them.

* * *

As soon as they entered the entrance hall, they found a very worried looking Hermione standing there waiting for them.  Her brown eyes widened as they fell on Harry and her hands moved to her mouth as Madame Pomfrey, her charge, and Dumbledore walked on past her to the infirmary.

"Oh God…  _Harry_."

She then looked at Sheyne and asked, "Are you alright?"

Sheyne nodded slightly then closed her eyes and leaned her head against her father's side.  Severus looked down at Hermione, his dark eyes studying her as she studied him and Sheyne.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

His voice was cool and level, not sharp and piercing as it generally was towards her.  Hermione looked after Harry and Severus nodded slightly.

"I see.  Come, Miss Granger.  And might I ask where Mr. Weasley is?  Surely he too is worried about Harry."

Hermione blinked at hearing the dark Potions Master refer to Harry by his first name then said softly, "Ron…Ron's not really Harry's friend anymore."

Obsidian eyes blinked.

"Really?  How did this come about?"

"H-Harry told us.  About him…well, I suppose you know, sir.  And Ron – Ron said he should have been in Slytherin.  I don't think he took it very well."

"I trust he didn't," said Severus, scorn lightly lacing his tone.  "The Weasley temper has always come before their sense of wit.  Don't bristle at me, girl – you know its true.  Except for the girl Virginia, all of them have that slight accoutrement.  Now come.  Let us see what Poppy has to say."

With that he walked off – not stalked, walked – his arms still about Sheyne and Stephen's shoulders.  Hermione trailed behind them, heart pounding in her ears with her fierce worry about Harry.

* * *

"Well, it seems I was correct in my first conception.  Harry only has a scrape on the back of his head – a severe one, mind you, but nothing to worry about.  He'll have a scar there for a while and maybe a bump but it will heal."

Sheyne and Hermione heaved sighs at the same time and the bushy haired girl blushed furiously as Severus arched an eyebrow at her, tilting his head slightly.  Then Madame Pomfrey turned from Harry's bed and, planting her hands on her hips, glared at Severus.

"Now, Severus Septimius Snape, you shall tell me what in Merlin's name happened in that corridor."

Severus looked at the mediwitch for a moment before he began to laugh, causing Hermione to stare at him in horror.  This was the first time she had ever seen him laugh – _really_ laugh.

"Ah, Poppy.  In Merlin's name, indeed.  Yes, Merlin's name indeed."  He chuckled some more, confusing everyone else in the room except for a serenely smiling Dumbledore with his hands tucked in his sleeves.

"Well, Poppy, my dear old friend, it is a little known fact that the Snape's are descended from Merlin himself."

Sheyne gasped, "But…Voldemort said you didn't know!"

"Voldemort _would_ say that.  But he doesn't know that there is a rather large document in the secret library of Myrddin Manor that tells the entire line of the Snape family coming down from Merlin.  I stumbled across it in my youth and found out about the connection then.  At twelve, I found out I was the youngest of the last descendants of Merlin."

"Hold on," said Sheyne.  "_Youngest?_  You mean I have aunts and uncles?"

"Had," corrected Severus.  "Your uncles, Septimius and Tiberius, were both raised to be Death Eaters by our father and were Kissed by the Dementor's along with him after their trial just before Voldemort's fall.  I, on the other hand, was raised by our mother to follow the path to the Aurors.  Of course, my father did not like that and cast me under Imperious to take me to Voldemort.  By the next morning, I was Marked and as furious as a blood mad hippogriff.  That was when I discovered that uncanny ability of ours to glow silver.  So, I researched it in that same hidden library and discovered an ancient text written by Merlin himself.  It catalogued that same ability (though why he would need to write down about his abilities, I dare not know) and listed some of the most powerful spells he had created."

Severus nodded towards Madame Pomfrey here and said, "That spell I used when they were about to kill us was one of them.  It's somewhat like a much bigger version of the Killing Curse, except it takes someone of Merlin's bloodline to cast it.  As all the spells on that text did."

"Unfortunately," he sighed, "Voldemort managed to get a hold of one page of the text which had been lost and he found that spell he tried to use on you, Sheyne, and Harry.  It's supposed to bind the souls to the caster and allow him – or her – to control their thoughts and bodies.  What that madman did not know – for the sheet he had did not say anything about it – was that only those with Merlin's blood could cast it."

He paused her and looked at Dumbledore thoughtfully.

"But…he did have Merlin's blood, didn't he?  If he used the potion and spell combination I am thinking of for his resurrection he would have gotten some portion of Merlin's blood from Harry.  Ah…so there was a double advantage to that."

"As I was saying, the spell he cast tried to bind Sheyne and Harry's wills to his own (his arm tightened reflexively about his daughter's shoulders here) but it failed.  I believe that the blood he gained from Harry could not contain the power he wanted to use, limited as the blood was, and Sheyne and Harry's combined _pure_ blood (with perhaps a little boost from Harry's Slytherin) also helped defeat him.

"So he's actually dead?" asked Hermione.  She looked over at Harry then back at her professor.  "But why does Harry still have his scar?  Wouldn't it have…disappeared?"

Severus shook his head and reached over Sheyne's head to roll up his left sleeve.  The Dark Mark leered at them up from under his skin and Hermione gave a little shudder.

"No, Miss Granger.  That scar – as well as the Death Eater's Marks – will remain with us forever.  They're bound to our souls…they're part of us."

Severus sighed and ran a hand over his face wearily.  Beside him Stephen yawned and Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses.

"I believe it is time all of us are in bed.  The whole of the castle is asleep but us."

"And Argus," said Madame Pomfrey.  "Honestly, I don't see how that man does it."

Severus snorted and grinned at her good-naturedly as he quipped, "This from the Ravenclaw that wanted to stay up to all hours of the morning studying the Dark Arts with me so she could recognize them in the medical field."

"You never complained."

"That's because a certain Gryffindor threatened to tear my head off if I didn't help you," replied Severus.  He then looked down at Sheyne and smiled.  Madame Pomfrey caught where he was looking and smiled as well.

"Poor child.  Come put her over here, Severus.  I'm not letting the three of you go down to that freezing dungeon room of yours."

"It's not freezing!" defended Stephen.

"Shush, boy," scolded Madame Pomfrey.  "You'll ruin Severus' reputation."

"What reputation?" scoffed the dark man as he picked up Sheyne and carried her over to the bed beside Harry's.  Hermione watched in awe as he tucked the sleeping girl in and bent to kiss her forehead.  Feeling as though she'd stumbled onto something secretive, she began to rise and leave the white plastered room.  Madame Pomfrey's sharp tones stopped her.

"Hermione Granger.  Get back here this instant.  Do you honestly believe I was going to let _you_ wander through these halls as well?  Bed, child!"  She pointed at one of the beds then whirled on Dumbledore as the old wizard chuckled.  "And don't tempt me to keep _you_ here as well, Albus!"

Dumbledore held up his hands in defense and said, "I dare not tempt you, Poppy.  You have spent far too much time with Severus for me to tempt you."

"I greatly resent that remark, Albus," said Severus as he removed his outer robe and threw it over the end of one of the hospital beds.  "Oh, and, Poppy?"

"Yes, Severus?" said Madame Pomfrey as Dumbledore made his exit and Hermione made her way over to the bed the mediwitch had indicated.

"Remind me to severely hex you for making me stay here without me being injured."

Madame Pomfrey smirked, a sly glint in her brown eyes.  "As if you'd have left Harry here," said she in a low tone.

"A good point, my dear Ravenclaw.  But still…'tis better to stay until my will and not yours."

"And why would that be, my good Slytherin?" quipped Madame Pomfrey as Severus climbed into the bed and punched the pillow.

"Because it wouldn't have wounded my very soft Slytherin pride!"

Madame Pomfrey laughed at that and was still laughing when she damped the lights with her wand and vanished into her own quarters just off the infirmary.

Myrddin – Merlin

A/N: Oh damn.  I forgot.  The "Don't shoot!  I have a fork!" from Sheyne's t-shirt in whatever chapter it was comes from my good friend and fellow high school HP fanatic (we're the only one's I know of in the whole school who love it enough to write on it) Sarah a.k.a. Ravenclaw42!  If one likes LoTR, you should go read her LoTR/HP ficlet "Let Others Follow".  'Tis very good.  Oh, and Sarah.  THREE TIMES?  Good Lord, girl!  *grin*  Not that I can blame you!  I wanna go see it again!  Oh, and I found someone who's fav LoTR char is Sam too!  My Buffy/Angel fanatic friend Shellie!

Chochang13 – Err…no rating change, I think.  *looks at muses*  Right you lot?

Atra: Why on earth would we need a rating change?

Saerwy: *shrug*  Perhaps you should go look at that chapter again.

Atra: Which one was it?

Bryvend: Number 19.

Oh, and his question was about the Aurors.  Of course, as they'd already gone, he couldn't ask it, now could he?

Oh, and DAMN!  I forgot to kill Lucius (I _reeeally_ want to kill that man)!  *dark growl*

Bryvend: We can always kill him later…

Good point, Bryvi.  We're only halfway through!  *evil cackle*  Heheheheh.

Atra: I hate it when she does that…

Saerwy: Why?

Atra: It hurts my ears.

Saerwy: YOUR ears?  I'm the she-wolf here!  I'm the one with the enhance hearing!

Bryvend: And I don't see _her_ wincing, whiney boy.

Atra: *death glare's Bryvend*  You'll pay for that!

Bryvend: *looks down at the shorter muse in amusement*  Bring it on, short stuff.

Atra: GRAAAAA!!!  *leaps at Bryvend and the two go down in a tumble of black robes, a demon and angel wing, and venomous curses*

*drops head into hands and moans along with Saerwy*  NOT AGAIN!!!


	24. Chapter 24 :: October 5, 1995 :: Hogwart

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 24 :: October 5, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Lunchtime_

Harry, head pounding fiercely, opened his eyes, expecting to see the slimy gray stone's of Voldemort's fortress.  Instead he saw the white plaster ceiling of the infirmary for the – oh, hundredth time in his four full years at Hogwarts.  A pair of amber eyes situated in a snake's face suddenly appeared and he blinked at the creature.

"Hello," he said in Parseltongue.  Hmm.  Something seemed familiar about those eyes…

"_About time you woke up_," spat the snake, causing the teen to stare at it.

"_SHEYNE?_"

The snake – Sheyne – nodded curtly and slithered off of his chest onto the edge of the mattress, where she became herself, short hair disheveled and faint circles under her eyes.  She reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from his face as he sat up hurriedly, ignoring the pain in his head.

"You've been out for five days.  Apparently that spell did more of a number on you than it did on me."

"What _was_ that?" asked Harry, remembering the green light that had surrounded Voldemort before he'd been knocked unconscious by reaching for every ounce of magic he could reach to free Sheyne.

Sheyne sighed and shook her head, smiling wryly at the same time.

"That's a long story, brother."

Harry looked around the empty hospital wing then at his half-sister.  He pushed the pillow up behind his back and leaned against it, crossing his arms across his chest and saying blandly, "We have time.  Tell."

"Okay.  But it's a hell of a doozy…"

* * *

"Merlin?  Merlin himself?"

"Yep."

Harry threw up his wand and cried, "And as if I didn't have _enough_ on my plate!"

Sheyne patted his hand and said, "Well…look at it this way.  You'll have a hell of a resume."

Harry looked at her as though she were insane for a moment then began to laugh.

"I have a resume that would make the light-hearted have a heart attack!  I mean, Snape's son, Boy-Who-Lived, Slytherin's Heir, Merlin's Heir, _and_ now probably Defeater of Voldemort.  Oh, for cripes sake…"

"Hey, I share that burden too.  Let's just be glad old Voldie-Moldie tried to use a spell that could only be used by one of us."

Harry began to laugh again and Sheyne frowned at him.

"What'd I say?"

"_Voldie-Moldie!_"

Sheyne snorted and said, "You are obviously very easily amused."  Her only response was more laughter

Harry was still laughing when Madame Pomfrey entered the infirmary.  The mediwitch narrowed her eyes at Sheyne and the girl held up her hands in defense.

"I didn't do anything!  Honest!"

"Of course you didn't.  Now go tell that father of yours that his son is awake.  He should be in his rooms."

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey," said Sheyne, hopping down from the bed and racing out of the infirmary.  She made sure no one was watching before she Shifted into a dog and ran in that form all the way down to the dungeons.  Rushing through the half-open door into the Potions classroom, she pranced up to her father tongue lolling and eyes dancing.

Severus looked down at the amber-eyed, black furred dog at his feet and smiled.

"I presume Harry is awake from the way you're acting."

Sheyne popped into existence and nodded, pushing herself up on tiptoe to peer into the cauldron.  "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Healing Potions for Poppy.  Which should be done…ah, now.  So, you help me bottle this up, you scamp, and then we'll carry it upstairs."

"Yes, sir!" cried Sheyne and dashed into the cupboard where the phials were stored.  Severus shook his head in amusement after her and gave the potion one last swirl with the wooden ladle.  As he began to sat it down, the Mark on his arm suddenly burned fiercer than it had ever had before.  Teeth clenched to keep a scream of pain from erupting from his lips, his body locked and the spoon slipped from his fingertips, clattering to the stone floor.

Sheyne heard that and turned from where she was stacking phials in a box.

"Father?"

Severus made a small whimper in response to that query.  Then a shiver ran through his body as he heard a most familiar voice echoing through his head.

_I know of your lineage, Severus.  Did you think I would not have?  Foolish boy.  How very foolish of you.  And how very foolish of you to think that I could be dispelled so easily._

Severus' teeth creaked as the Mark burned even more.  Sheyne slowly stood in the cupboard, amber eyes widening.

"Papa?"

_Ah, your dear daughter.  Such a lovely, lithe little thing she is.  Like her mother.  So very beautiful.  And a Shifter.  An exquisite creature indeed._

Rage burned through Severus at those words but quickly died under another onslaught of pain from the Mark.

_Your anger is nothing, boy.  And speaking of boy's, I know of your son as well.  How lovely that the child you spawned during a mission for me defeated me.  I believe that is called irony.  What do you say, dear boy?_

Severus growled softly, half in anger, half in pain.

_Oh, I forgot.  You can't speak.  Forgive me for being so callous._

"What…do you…want?" said Severus, managing to get it out in a moment when the pain lessened.

Sheyne heard that and began to move forward back out into the Potions classroom, eyes narrowed slightly.  Who was her father talking to?  Was someone else there?

_What do I want?  I want your children, my boy.  Your children.  They're bound to me, you know.  All of the children of my Death Eaters are.  They are MINE._

"No!" yelled Severus, collapsing to one knee as the pain grew worse.  His muscles shook and his right hand clamped down on his left arm where the Mark was.

_Yes!_ Hissed Voldemort's voice in his head.  _They are mine.  The Shifter and the Boy-Who-Lived are MINE.  And I shall have them, one way or another.  Give them to me, Severus, and I will let you live._

"I'd…rather…die."

Sheyne took another step forward and reached out a hand towards the half closed door.

_I'm sure I can arrange that.  Are you certain?  I WILL have them, Severus.  Your little godson is already mine.  And now your children will be.  Surely you will live to see them stand at my side._

"They'll…never!"

_They'll have no choice!  I can control them as easily as I am controlling you now.  Only easier._

Sheyne's hand touched the doorknob just as Severus growled, "Bastard."

_Goodbye, Severus._

With that white-hot lances of pain shot through every nerve in Severus' body.  His body curled inward involuntarily from the pain as tears pricked his eyes.  He slipped to his other knee, body bowing forward until his fiery forehead touched the cold stone floor.  The last words he spoke before he collapsed to the floor were squeezed out through clenched teeth.

"They'll…never…be…yours."

Sheyne opened the door wide just in time to see him slide to the floor in unconsciousness and let out a scream of panic that ran through the entire castle and shook it to its ancient foundations.

* * *

Harry was still waiting for Sheyne to return, becoming even more nervous by the minute.  Surely it didn't take that long to get their father out of his dungeon…

Just as that thought passed through his brain, a soul-wrenching scream rang through the castle.  The sound reverberated through his bones and Harry swore he heard the _stones_ begin to scream as well.  And something in that sound told him something was definitely wrong.  Something was _very_ wrong.

Harry pulled himself painfully from his bed and would have nearly collapsed upon standing had he not been holding onto the bed.  He grabbed onto the next bed and staggered over to it, doing this over and over again until he made it to the doors.  Then, taking a deep breath and steeling himself, he stepped into the hall and began to make his painful way towards the dungeons.

* * *

Finally there, chest aching and a stitch in his right side, Harry saw Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, along with Professor McGonagall.

"What's going on?" he croaked, leaning heavily against the wall.

Madam Pomfrey whirled upon him and cried, "Harry!  What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing out of bed?"

"Trying to find out what the hell is going on," growled Harry in response, not realizing how much he sounded like his father.

McGonagall looked at him with pity in her eyes and Harry scowled.  He looked at Dumbledore, wrapping around arm about his aching chest, and spat, "What's going on?"

Dumbledore looked at him with a sad look in his blue eyes and reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Harry…"

Harry slapped the hand away and painfully pulled himself up to his full height, glaring coldly at the older wizard.  His temper was high now or else he'd have never done this.

"_What is going on?_"

Dumbledore shook his head and waved him on into the Potions classroom.  Harry gave him an odd look then staggered forward.  Madam Pomfrey reached out to help him but he sent a truly venomous glare at her and she stepped back.

As soon as Harry stepped into the room he knew in the back of his mind what had happened.  He smelt it.

Death.

Sheyne sat in one of the desks, head bowed, hands in her lap.  Harry staggered over to her and grabbed onto the chair to keep from falling.

"Sheyne," he croaked.

She looked up and Harry saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Harry…"

Harry placed a hand on her shoulder then looked up.  He didn't want to.  He already sensed what he would see.

Severus Snape lay still and pale on his desk.  His left sleeve was pulled up to reveal the blood red Mark and there was also something else there now, one word.

_Mine._

Harry felt the cold of disbelief slip into his mind, numbing the Gryffindor half that had begun to scream in grief.  The Slytherin half remained indifferent, accessing the Mark and the word, knowing whom they were from.

He placed a hand on Sheyne's shoulder and quite suddenly she was in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.  Harry stood painfully but stalwartly, rubbing his hands over his half-sister's back, doing his best to comfort her.

A hand touched his shoulder gently and he whipped his head around to see Dumbledore standing there.

"Voldemort," growled Harry.

Dumbledore nodded slightly and said, "Voldemort.  I don't know how."

"I don't care how," spat Harry, turning blazing green eyes upon the corpse of his father.  "I don't care how he did it.  I don't care how he's alive.  I'm going to kill the bastard for this."

"Harry…"

"Don't you 'Harry' me," snapped the dark-haired boy, eyes flashing.  He pulled Sheyne close and began to walk out of the classroom, pulling her gently along with him.  As Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, and McGonagall watched him go, they noticed that he no longer seemed to be in pain.

* * *

"Harry!" cried Hermione as she saw her friend enter Gryffindor Tower, a still sobbing Sheyne in his arms.  She leapt from her seat and ran to him, noting that he was in a pair of hospital pajamas.  "What happened?"

Harry gave her a stony look and shook his head, walking over to the couch nearest the fire.  He sat Sheyne down on it and forcefully laid her down, stroking her head as she cried.  After a moment he pulled something from the waist of his pants and held it up to the girl's mouth.  Sheyne turned her face away but Harry pulled her back.

"Drink!"

Sheyne opened her eyes to look at him for a moment then she followed his command, opening her mouth.  Harry tilted it so a little dribbled into her mouth and almost immediately her eyes drooped and she was asleep.  He capped the tiny phial and heaved a sigh, letting his chin drop down to rest on his chest.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up at Hermione, who was watching him with worried brown eyes.  He stared at her for a long moment then said coldly, "What?"

Hermione looked surprised at his tone.  It sounded so much like – like Snape.

"What happened?" she breathed, eyes flicking to Sheyne.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes, lifting a hand to rub at his temples.

"I thought you'd ask that."

He rose to his feet and walked over to her, standing there for a long time, just standing there.  Hermione stared up at him, wondering what on earth had happened.

"Snape's dead."

Those words hit Hermione like a whiplash.  Snape?  _Dead?_

"How?"

"Voldemort," replied Harry, his voice hard, stony, and rippling with rage.

Hermione reached out to touch his arm and he jerked away from her.

"_Don't touch me!_"

Hermione pulled back, clutching her hand to her chest as he whirled, turning his back to her.  She reached out to him again, this time touching his arm.  A whimper came with that touch and Harry's shoulders shook.  He turned back to her, green eyes glistening with tears.

"He's dead, Mione.  _He's dead!  Dead, dead, DEAD!_"

With that he collapsed slowly onto the floor, hugging himself and sobbing.  Hermione sank to her knees and pulled him to her, not caring when the other Gryffindors appeared to see what was going on and began to point and whisper.

Ginny suddenly appeared and sank to the floor beside her and Harry, confused and wary but there.  Hermione smiled at her then turned her head around to look at the crowd.  She spotted Ron and glared at him then turned her attention back to Harry, slowly running her fingers through his hair as he sobbed into her shoulder.


	25. Chapter 25 :: December 31, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 25 :: December 31, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Midday_

Christmas holidays found Sheyne continually in her dorm except for classes and mealtimes.  She had yet to set a foot near the dungeons and whenever she saw Harry, she would run off in tears.  Stephen and Harry were almost equally distant, the two of them sometimes sitting in the Gryffindor common room talking about everything from Quidditch to things in the Muggle world.  Since Severus' death, Stephen had been moved into the fifth year boy's dormitory with Harry, where he got along rather well with Neville.

Of course, Harry was skilled at keeping his feelings hidden and was still fuming inside.  Dumbledore noticed it but he knew that not even he could stop Harry if the teen let that fury loose.

The only other person that noticed this was Hermione.  She had seen it in his eyes on the only occasion where she'd ever seen him cry.  And she continually saw it at other times when Harry saw his reflection and, for a half second, his father.

A little bit of this anger showed itself when Hermione and Harry sat in the Great Hall working on a Charms paper that was due after the holidays.  Further down, a group of boys sat, talking softly until one's voice rang out to their ears.

"Aren't you lot glad Snape's gone?"

Hermione looked at Harry as another cried, "Hell, yeah!  About time the git keeled off."

"Really keeled off, didn't he?" said another.  "Right into another world!"

There was laughter and then another said, "Well, maybe now we'll have chance with that girl of his.  Girls will grieve on anyone's shoulder, y'know.  And then," the speaker waggled his eyebrows, "you can get more."

Harry's hand tightened about his quill until it snapped in two.  Hermione reached across the table and laid her own hand on her other clenched fist.

"Don't," she warned, feeling him trembling with barely contained rage.

"You just want to see the look on _his_ face when he finds out you necked with his sister," quipped another voice and Harry half-rose from his seat with a low growl.  Hermione leaned across the table and grabbed his wrist, digging her fingernails in slightly.

"Don't," she said again.  "They're not worth it."

Harry looked down at her and had begun to sit back down when, to their surprise, Ron's voice rang out.

"Serves the git right.  I hope he choked on one of his potions."

"Okay," hissed Hermione, "that's worth it."  She drew her wand to hex them then scrambled about the table as Harry got up and began to walk towards them, a murderous gleam in his eyes.

The group of boys was laughing so hard that they didn't notice Harry's approach until it was too late.  He plowed into Ron, landing a hard uppercut on the ginger-haired boy's jaw.  Ron tumbled out of his seat onto his back from the force of the blow.

"_How dare you?_" snarled Harry, standing over Ron.

The ginger-haired boy sat up and wiped the back of his hand across his bleeding lip, which was already beginning to swell along with part of his jaw.  He then grumbled, "Snape's gone.  I can dare a lot!"

Rage flashed across Harry's face and he punched Ron again.  Then he got down on one knee, grabbed the other boy's shirt collar, and pulled him close.

"But I'm still here," he spat.

"Pity," said Ron.

This time there was an almost murderous gleam in Harry's eyes as he slugged Ron across the jaw again, sending the other boy into blissful unconsciousness.  He let him fall back onto the floor then stood, looking down at his fist, which was spotted with blood across the knuckles.

Behind him the group of boys began to move forward but a swift charm from Hermione stopped them in their tracks.

"Oy!" cried the boy who had said the bit about wanting to see the look on Harry's face after he had a snogging session with Sheyne and probably a bit more.

Harry heard his voice and turned, eyes flickering coldly as he growled, "You."

"Oh no," said the sixth year, straining against the charm to get away.  "No, no…  I didn't mean…"

"_Shut up!_" bellowed Harry.  "If you _ever_ make another remark like that about my sister, daydream about her, _think_ about her, I _will_ kill you."

With a pointed glared filled with venom, the dark-haired boy turned sharply on a heel and stalked out of the Hall, deliberately trodding hard on one of the unconscious Ron's hands as he did so.

Hermione shook her head in disgust and began to follow him.  One of the boys spotted her and yelled, "What about us?"  She stopped, turning halfway around to smile at them.

"Oh, don't worry.  It'll wear off in a few hours."

"_HOURS!_" shrieked the boys as Hermione turned with a smirk on her face and left the Hall.

The moment she stepped outside the doors, a strong arm grabbed her about the waist and swung her about.

"Hey!"

Harry laughed, all anger gone from his face now, and smiled down at her as he released her.  "Sometimes I think you've spent too much time hanging around boys," he said.

Hermione laughed too and said, "Yes, far too much time with you.  You've tainted me."

Harry smiled again but this time it seemed sad.

"Well…I am truthfully a Slytherin."

Hermione frowned and gently touched his arm, saying, "Harry, your…"

"I know."  He looked around them suddenly and added, "Maybe we should go somewhere else.  No one else should know about the darker half of my family."

"Agree," said Hermione with a nod.  "I think I know a place.  C'mon."

"Wait," said Harry, grabbing her arm.  When she turned to look at him, he continued, "I want to ask you a question."

Hermione blinked then blushed as he asked, "Why did you kiss me that night when we went to rescue Sheyne?"

"I – I…"

"Let me guess," said Harry.  "A spur of the moment sort of thing?"

Hermione opened and close her mouth, her entire face turned red in embarrassment.  She mumbled, "I – I don't know why.  I really don't."

Harry smiled slightly and said, "S'alright, Mione.  I was just wondering.  Sometimes…sometimes it almost seems like you're worried about me more than you should be."

"You're my friend, Harry," said the bushy-haired girl, looking up at him.  "I worry about you."

"Everybody worries about me," said Harry.  "Mostly how I'm going to save all of their asses from Voldemort."

Hermione blinked.

"Harry…I thought Voldemort was dead."

Harry shook his head slowly then began to lead her down the corridor as a group of Ravenclaw girls exited the Hall.

"He's not dead," said Harry softly as they walked towards the marble staircase.

"How do you know?"

Harry pointed at his scar and replied, "This damn thing connects me to him.  Since summer, I've been seeing more than the usual dreams.  Death Eater raids that he's not even at, conversations between Death Eater's, other things.  I've seen every meeting and can remember every detail."  He heaved a heavy sigh and said in a softer voice, "Everything."

Hermione gasped as she realized what that entailed.

"Hogsmeade," she breathed.  "And that other village.  You saw them?"

"Every horrid detail.  Plus a good many more that you don't know about."  Harry rubbed his scar absently and added, "I wrote them all down.  Don't know why."

"But how do you know He's still alive?" asked Hermione.  "The Death Eater's could have gone on without him."

Harry sighed and said, "When – when Snape…"  His voice trail off, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

Hermione took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly, smiling when Harry looked down at her, pain flickering in the depths of his emerald eyes.  He took a deep breath then spoke again, voice tight and strained.

"When Snape – died – there…there was something on his arm."

"Besides the Dark Mark?" exclaimed Hermione.

Harry nodded.

"It was just one word.  _Mine_.  Voldemort knew his real loyalties and he killed him.  Somehow he killed him.  No one betrays Voldemort and lives.  Karkaroff didn't and Snape didn't.  And now…"

Harry's voice trailed off again, this time not in grief but in pain.  One hand moved slowly up to his scar while the other went out to Hermione's shoulder.  She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

"Harry?"

"Something's…wrong," ground the boy out through his teeth.

Suddenly he grabbed his left arm and went down on one knee.  Hermione dropped with him, eyes wide as she realized that Harry was gripping his arm at the exact same spot Snape's Dark Mark was – used to be.  As the green eyes met brown, she realized he knew this too.

"Go…check…on…Sheyne," growled Harry out between bared teeth, his voice taut with pain.

"But…"

"_Go!_" yelled Harry, eyes glazing as his right hand tightened its grip until the knuckles burned white beneath his already pale skin.

Hermione grabbed his left and held it tight, dropping to both knees.  As their eyes met again, she said in a tone that opted for no disagreement, "I'm not leaving."

Harry scowled at her then grimaced as pain lashed through his arm.  His fingers tightened about Hermione's and he let out a scream through his teeth.

As they two of them watched, Harry's hand began to glow as thought a flashlight was cupped in his palm.  Harry screamed again, only this time he couldn't hold it back.  The sound reverberated off the stones around them and Hermione swore she heard it growing steadily louder.  Then she realized that the screams weren't coming from Harry.

They were coming from other students in the castle.

The second after she realized that, the screams rose to their highest pitch and were gone.  Hermione looked at Harry and found him down on both knees, head bowed, and the fingers of his left hand still gripping hers like a vise.

A tiny tendril of smoke curled up between the fingers of his right hand and Hermione gasped.  She grabbed his hand with her free one and tried to pry it away from his arm.  But his fingers were locked about it, the nerves frozen in a clenched position.

"Harry," she gasped, jerking at his hand.  "Harry, let go.  Let me see."

The dark head shook, a nearby torch making the red in the hair shine like blood.

"Harry, move your hand," ordered Hermione.

The dark head lifted and Hermione looked into a pair of pained green eyes.  "I already know what I'll see," said Harry softly.

"What?" asked Hermione.  "What is it?  What just happened?"

Harry sighed and moved his hand away from his arm.  Hermione gasped as she saw the Dark Mark emblazoned there, a burning red beacon against his skin.

"Oh my God," she breathed.  "Harry…how?"

"Voldemort," said Harry in a dark, pain filled tone.  "He's making a claim."

"A claim," exclaimed Hermione.  "What claim?  And how did you know this world happen?"

"I told you.  I see the meetings.  The last one Voldemort told the Death Eaters that he would be claiming their children, which were bound to him by their parents own binding to him.  Snape didn't know about this because he was ignoring the summons.  Or Voldemort didn't call him.  I'm assuming the second one, if its possible."

Hermione gaped at him and breathed, "That's the reason he died, isn't it?  Voldemort contacted him somehow and Snape refused to let him have you and Sheyne."

Harry nodded and Hermione continued, "And you know.  About this."  She flicked her fingers at the Mark.

"What would telling anyone had done?" demanded Harry.  "It would have happened anyway.  Every child born to a Death Eater after they received their Mark is connected to Voldemort."

"That means…"

"Malfoy and anyone else just experienced what I did."  Harry scowled at the Mark for a moment before he jerked the sleeve of his sweater down over it.  "Damn him for doing this during Christmas."

Hermione looked at him in silence for a moment then asked, "Now what?"

Harry pushed himself up onto one knee and held out a hand to Hermione.  As she took his hand, he said, "We go check on Sheyne.  She won't know what happened."

Hermione gaped at him as he stood and pulled her to her feet.

"You didn't tell her?"

Harry looked perturbed as he snapped, "I haven't been able to.  Or haven't you noticed?"

"You can't blame her."

Harry stared at Hermione for a long moment then slowly nodded.

"You're right," he acknowledged.  "I can't blame her when I'm the one that looks more like Father."

"That's the first time I've heard you call him that," said Hermione as they started to walk towards Gryffindor Tower.

"Well, he is – was."  Harry stuffed his hand in the pockets of his jeans as he corrected himself.  He then picked up a faster pace and said, "C'mon.  I've got a bad feeling."

"About what?"

"About Sheyne being ready to take off my head and possibly some other important organs."

Hermione smiled and patted his arm.

* * *

The moment the two of them entered Gryffindor Tower, they were assaulted by a furious Sheyne.  She grabbed Harry's arm and slammed him against the wall, amber eyes blazing.  Harry groaned from the impact and muttered, "Must you use panther strength to do that?"

"Bugger that," snapped Sheyne viciously.  "Why the _hell_ do I have the Dark Mark on my arm?"

Harry glanced about the common room, which was empty, then looked down at her and replied, "We all do."

"We?" said Sheyne, nose wrinkled.

"We," repeated Harry.  "Every child born to a Death Eater after they were Marked.  You, me, Malfoy, and whoever else is a Death Eater's child."  He paused for a moment then said, "Can I get back to the floor now?"

Hermione blinked at that and looked down.  Sheyne not only had Harry up against the wall, she had him a good two feet off the floor.

The dark-haired girl bared her teeth, a few of which were fangs, then released him.  As she let the panther go, Harry said, "Thanks."

Sheyne growled in response and Harry sighed.

"Do you remember what was on Father's arm?"

Sheyne's eyes flashed with anger and grief at that.  "What does that have to do with anything?" she demanded, hands twisting into claws.

"The word, Shey.  All of use, we're connected to him.  And he's making his claim."

Sheyne paled and breathed, "He killed Papa so he could get to us.  Papa wouldn't let him and he killed him.  The bastard.  Harry, we've got to get him."

"I know," said Harry, rubbing his scar.  "The bastard just won't _die_.  And even with all those raids, Fudge doesn't believe he's back.  Even with more people believing, they're all running scared.  Dumbledore has too few people."

"Maybe," said Hermione, coming up beside him, "maybe we can help him."

"And not only us!" exclaimed Sheyne, eyes suddenly bright.  "Harry, what if there are other Death Eater's children who don't want to follow Voldemort?  We could get them all together and…"

"No," said Harry firmly.

"Why?" exclaimed Sheyne and Hermione.

"Because he can control us!  He can take control of us and make us do whatever he wants.  Like Imperius, only on a larger scale.  That may have been how he killed Father."

"So," said Sheyne, fear in her voice, "he could take us at anytime?"

Harry nodded and Sheyne fell back against a chair, eyes wide.

"Oh God…Harry, what are we going to do?  I hate him.  He ordered my mother's death.  I know it.  And the Outlaw's.  Oh God, no…"

Harry reached out and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.  When she looked up at him, he said, "We'll be okay.  I swear we will."

Sheyne nodded then frowned.

"Harry, why would Voldemort have done that spell if he could already control us?  The one he was doing and we thought he was gone."

"Maybe it didn't work," said Hermione.

"He may have just wanted us," answered Harry.  "He knew we were Merlin's Heirs.  He knew you were a Shifter and that I'm his great nephew."

"But it didn't work," said Hermione.

"So he went to Plan B," concluded Sheyne.  "I see now…"

Harry nodded and said, "He couldn't get us so he want back to his original plan."

"He's a bloody madman," hissed Sheyne.

"Exactly the word I'd use to describe him."

Harry, Sheyne, and Hermione whirled towards the open portrait hole and saw Malfoy standing there, one hand on Neville's shoulder.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" snarled Harry, eyes blazing.

"Easy, Potter," said Malfoy, letting go of Neville and lifting his hands in the air, fingers spread.  "I just want to talk."

"_Talk?_" snapped Sheyne.  "You helped your father get me to Voldemort!"

Harry's eyes widened at that and he turned his head to look at Sheyne before flashing raging eyes on Malfoy.

"You bastard!  I ought to kill you right now!"

"I wouldn't stop you," said Malfoy.  He sighed and said, "I have been acting like a git.  The perfect little Death Eater.  But I swear to you I don't want to be."

"Why should we believe you?" demanded Hermione, crossing her arms.  "After all you've done, why should we trust you?  And this!  Forcing Neville to bring you in here!"

"Longbottom wants exactly what I want," stated Malfoy.  "Don't you, Longbottom?"

Neville nodded slowly and Hermione hissed, "You…you…you…"

"Bastard?" supplied Sheyne.

"Oh, _that_ doesn't even being to describe him!"

"Don't," said Neville softly.  "It's not worth it."

"What?" said Hermione in surprise.

Neville sighed and slowly rolled up his sleeve, revealing a blood red Mark.  "My father was a spy," he explained as he jerked it back down.  "When You-Know-Who found out, he sent out a group to get rid of him."

"Oh, Neville…" murmured Hermione.

"And you knew?" said Harry, looking at Malfoy.

"My father _is_ one of the highest ranking Death Eater's.  He knows just about everything."

"_Exactly!_" snapped Sheyne.  "You could be tricking us into trusting you to please Daddy."

Malfoy scowled and spat, "I hate my father!"  His expression softened and he added in a softer tone, "And I envied the two of you."

"Us?" said Harry and Sheyne at the same time.

Malfoy nodded.

"Even before, Potter, I envied you.  Even without parents you were happy.  And then the two of you with Snape…  He loved the two of you."  He closed his eyes and said, almost to himself, "That's more than I ever got from my father."

"Why did you help him?" asked Sheyne

"Because I knew Potter and Professor Snape would go after you," replied Malfoy.  "I thought that maybe my father would get killed in the crossfire or caught and then I could be turned out of my mother's care.  She'd break down if something like that happened.  And then I could live with Professor Snape.  He was my godfather, you know."

"No, we didn't," said Harry.  "I still want to know how we know we can trust you."

"I'll do anything," said Malfoy.  "Anything you tell me to do.  I'll even jump off the Astronomy Tower if you want."

Harry smiled slightly and said, "No.  No, I think we can trust you."

"_Harry!_" exclaimed Hermione and Sheyne.

"Why?" asked Malfoy, looking up at the taller boy in bewilderment.

"Because the Malfoy _I know_ would have said something like _'C'mon, Potter, stop being an ass_' or something like that," Harry answered.  "And stop calling me _'Potter'_."

"Then what shall I call you, Snape?"

"That is my name."

Malfoy blinked and cried, "I was joking!"

"I'm not," said Harry seriously.  "And I'll tell you now, Malfoy, that if you _are_ tricking us into trusting you, I'll kill you."

Malfoy started to laugh then stopped when he saw the look in Harry's eyes.  And that was one of pure seriousness and the will to carry out that threat.

"Okay.  You've got it."

"So," said Sheyne, "now what?"

"I suggest we find any other's like us," replied Malfoy.  "I know most of the one's who were delighted when they got the Mark."

"But if Voldemort was control you all…" began Hermione.

"_Control us?_" squeaked Neville in fear, eyes wide.

Harry and Malfoy nodded at the same time.  Malfoy said, "Unfortunately.  And how did you know abou it?"  This was to Hermione.

"Me," said Harry, pointing at his scar.  "I'm doubly connected to the bastard."

"Right," said Malfoy, his eyes flicking to the lightning bolt scar.  "That's a new one."

"Shouldn't we go to Professor Dumbledore with this?" asked Hermione.  "Shouldn't he know what we're doing?"

Malfoy wrinkled his nose in disgust.  "I don't trust that old man."

"He trusted Papa," said Sheyne.  "Not many would trust a Death Eater, even one who was Marked against his will."

"Exactly.  What makes you think he'll trust us?  Or me?"

Harry sighed and said, "I'm sad to say it, but because I am – _was_ – Harry Potter."

Malfoy stared at him for a moment then laugh.

"Y'know what, Snape?  That is sad.  But it just might work."

Harry smiled slightly and said, "Let's go then."

The four Marked teenagers began to move towards the portrait hole.  As Malfoy stepped out into the corridor, Harry turned and saw Hermione standing there staring at him.  He held out his hand and asked, "You coming?"

Hermione looked at his outstretched hand then at his face and said, "I shouldn't.  I'm not…"

"And I'd never want you to be," interrupted Harry.  "It doesn't matter.  You know.  You're as much as part of this now as we are, Mione."

Hermione looked from his face to his hand then back again.  Then she stepped forward and laid her hand in his.

"Okay."

Harry smiled and the two of them exited Gryffindor Tower together.

* * *

"What's the point of talking to the old man if we can't even get in his office?"

Sheyne glared at Malfoy then looked at her half-brother.

"Do you know the password?"

"No," replied Harry, glaring at the gargoyle.  "And we could stand here for ages rambling off candies."

"The old man uses candy as a password?  I always knew he was nutters."

"Shut up, Malfoy."

"The map," breathed Hermione suddenly.  She grabbed Harry's arm and repeated in a louder voice, "Harry, what about the map?"

Harry looked down at her then shoved his hand into one of his pockets, fishing out a sheet of yellowed paper.  As he unfolded it, he murmured, "It might work.  It just might work."  Then he looked at Malfoy and said in a darker tone, "If you tell a soul about this, Malfoy, you'll wish you'd never come to us."

Malfoy sneered at him and said, "You show me how an old piece of paper will help us and _then_ I'll make my promises."

Harry smirked as he pulled out his wand and placed the tip against the paper.

"You'd better get on your knees to make that promise.  _I solemnly swear I am up to no good._"

"Start dropping, Malfoy," joked Sheyne as lines shot out like spider webs on the paper beneath Harry's wand.

"Okay," said Malfoy, peering over Sheyne's shoulder at the map.  "I swear I'll never tell a soul.  But how will this help us?"

"I'm hoping it'll give us the password to Dumbledore's office," replied Harry to the question.  "Just give it a second to find us…ah.  There we are."

Four heads peered about his shoulders (as he was taller than all of them) to see the map and the five dots clustered about a little gargoyle.

"Well," said Malfoy.  "Hello, Harold."

"You want to see who has the cornier name, _Draco_?"

"At least my name means something.  _Harold_."

"Malfoy, I'm going to deck you," growled Sheyne.

"Alright, alright.  I still don't see how this is going to help…"

At that moment the word _'Peppermint Toad'_ popped up beside the gargoyle and Malfoy stopped speaking.

"Oh," said the blond after a brief pause.  "That's how."

Harry snorted then turned to the gargoyle and said, "Peppermint Toad."

The gargoyle let out what could have been interpreted as a growl and moved aside, revealing the moving spiral staircase.  Everyone looked at Harry then, as if waiting for him to go first.

"What?" he said when he realized this, stuffing the map back in his pocket.

"Well, you're the leader of this little outfit," said Malfoy.

"Since when?" demanded Harry, wrinkling his nose.

"Hey," said Malfoy, "my thinkin is you're the only one nearly everyone in the wizarding world will listen to.  Even being Snape's son."

Harry frowned for a moment then said, "I don't want to lead anyone, Malfoy.  I don't wand their blood on my hands if they end up dead."

Malfoy shrugged.

"Doesn't matter, Potter.  Your all we've got."

"The Slytherin wouldn't follow him," said Sheyne.

"They wouldn't follow Harry Potter," said Malfoy.  His gray eyes shifted to Harry as he continued, "They will, however, follow Professor Snape's son."

"How about we just decide on a leader later?" asked Neville softly.

"Whatever you want," said Malfoy with a shrug.

"Later," said Harry firmly.  "Right now we talk to Dumbledore."

"See?  A born leader."

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Sheyne as Harry stepped onto the staircase and Neville followed.

"Okay, okay," said Malfoy, letting Hermione go in front of him.  "No need to get violent."

"With you there's _always_ a reason to get violent," snapped Sheyne as she stepped up behind him, the gargoyle sliding back into place behind her.

"Snape, your sister's hitting on me."

"Dream on, serpent brains."

"I love it when you talk dirty."

"Will you two stop it?" snapped Harry.  "We…"  He stopped suddenly and two steps below him, Hermione frowned.

"Harry?" she said in concern.  "It something wrong?"

"I…I don't know," replied the boy.  "Something doesn't feel ri – "

He didn't finish his last word before the hair rose on the back of all five teen's necks.  A bolt of what looked like blue lightning shot down the stairwell and struck everyone but Hermione, who was rendered blind by the brightness of it for a moment.  When her vision cleared, she saw her four companions all unconscious.

"What on earth?" was all she got out before the staircase stopped and she turned to find herself in front of Dumbledore's office.  And the door was open.

"Professor!" she cried in surprise.  "Sir, I can explain…"

"I would like to hear it, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore, looking sternly down at the four unconscious students.  "That tiny trap is meant to stop those who carry Voldemort's Mark.  I would like to hear this explanation indeed."

"Yes, sir," said Hermione meekly as Dumbledore moved the unconscious students into his office with a flick of his wand then motioned her to follow.


	26. Chapter 26 :: December 31, 1995 :: Hogwa

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 26 :: December 31, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Afternoon_

"I still do not see why Severus did not tell me about this," said Dumbledore with a frown on his weathered face.  Hermione had just finished telling him about everything that had happened since that incident after lunch.

"I don't think he knew, sir," said Hermione.  "I'm sure he would have told you if he had."

"Severus Snape was never one to ask for help, Miss Granger.  He liked to take care of things himself."

"But I'm sure…"

"Hush, child.  I believe that they are finally waking."

Hermione turned in her chair to see Neville lifting his head from where it was propped on the back of his chair.  He blinked blearily and said, "'Ello, Hermione, Headmaster."  Then he came fully awake and cried, "_Headmaster!_"

"Be calm, Mister Longbottom," said Dumbledore.  "Miss Granger has told me everything."

"Oh," said Neville, looking even more nervous than before.

Suddenly there was a groan from the couch and Harry sat up, rubbing his forehead.  He opened his eyes after a moment and saw Dumbledore, Hermione, Neville, and the still unconscious Sheyne and Malfoy.  He then looked at Dumbledore and said, "That thing knocks out those carrying the Dark Mark, doesn't it?"

Dumbledore nodded and Harry looked at Hermione.

"You told him?"

The bushy-haired girl nodded and Harry looked at Dumbledore again, noting his stern expression.

"I take it you don't like our idea."

"I wish you had come to me when you'd have this dream," said Dumbledore.  "We might have been able to do something."

Harry laughed at that and said, eyes a little mad, "Firstly, I had that when I was still unconscious.  Secondly, and pardon my French, sir, we couldn't have done shit.  Voldemort has a hold over his Death Eaters – and their children – that will not be broken until that monster is dead.  We couldn't have stopped him from killing my father anymore than we could have from my mother and James."

"We can keep him from taking all of you," said Dumbledore.

"Do you honestly believe that, sir?" asked Harry.  "I just wonder if you really believe that you can save the children damned by their parents."

"I do."

"Then I suggest we figure out how to keep Voldemort from taking us," growled Harry.  "Because if you can't, you're royally screwed."

"What?" said Hermione.

"Well, what better way to take the most protected place in the wizarding world than from the inside?" said Harry.  "I'm certain that's His plan.  Take Hogwarts from the inside.  We've probably got every Death Eater's child in England here.  Not to mention if there are one's from Scotland, Wales, Ireland…you name it."  He laughed, green eyes still slightly mad, and added, "It's a brilliant plan.  Especially as – guess what – no one but him knew about it until a month ago!"

"Harry, aren't you being a bit negative?" asked Dumbledore.  "Surely…"

"Negative?" said Harry.  "Oh, no, sir.  Certainly not.  I'm seeing clearly.  I see Voldemort's plan oh-so-clearly.  And he's a sneaky bastard.  He's even covered us, Death Eater's children who don't want to be a part of his little game.  Just control our minds and he has an army that never whines, never tires.  A bunch of mindless drones who will do all he commands."

The teen laughed when he finished and crowed, "There's that Slytherin intuition!"

"This is no time for comedies, Harry," said Dumbledore sternly.

"Oh, no, I think it's the perfect time for comedies, sir," said Harry, rising from the couch.  He strode over to the claw-footed desk and placed his hands on it leaning down so he and the older wizard were eye to eye.

"I think I really need a laugh," he said darkly.  "You see, my father, who I just recently found, is now dead, killed by the same monster who murdered my mother and James Potter.  This same monster, ironically my great uncle, has made a claim on my life and my half-sister's.  Which will in turn rob her adopted brother of the last bit of family he has."  He lowered his voice and continued, "And all of this really – pisses – me – off."

On the last word, a silver contraption on the desk melted into a puddle and his eyes grew slightly brighter.  Harry look down at it then back up to Dumbledore.

"See my difficulty?  Plus, imagine what Sheyne and I could do in Voldemort's hands.  The last Heir's of Merlin, who also happened to be a Shifter and an Heir of Slytherin.  There'd be chaos."

"To put it simply," said Dumbledore.

"Yes," said Harry with a smug smile that Dumbledore had seen at times on his father's face.  "Now we're catching on.  And now the question, professor, is what are you going to do?  What are you going to do?"

Blue eyes met bright green and locked.  There was a long moment of silence then Dumbledore said, "We have to find a way to keep you out of Voldemort's reach."

"And quickly," agreed Harry as Sheyne and Malfoy sat up in their chairs.  "He'll take the school this year.  Else he wouldn't have made his claim on us now."

Dumbledore nodded then commented, "I see Mister Malfoy had joined us."

Malfoy looked up in surprise and Harry looked over his shoulder at him.

"Yeah," said the boy as he turned back to Dumbledore.  "He has."

"I see the father does not make the son," said Dumbledore, eyes falling on Malfoy again.  The blond looked into the older wizard's eyes for a moment then looked away.

"I don't want to be my father, sir.  He's a madman.  So is Voldemort.  Getting rid of you, Muggleborn's – it wouldn't make much sense."

Malfoy nodded at Hermione and continued, "Look at Granger.  She's Muggleborn and the smartest witch in the school.  Getting rid of people like her would just hurt our world.  And look at Fudge.  He's pureblood and an idiot.  And Voldemort's half Muggle himself.  What's the point?"

"There's isn't one," replied Dumbledore.

"Except for the belief that he's doing Slytherin's _noble work_," spat Harry.

"So, you know now?" said Sheyne to Dumbledore.

"Yes, my dear," said Dumbledore.  "Now we must figure out a way to keep you from Voldemort."  He looked curiously at Harry and asked, "Are there any others?"

Malfoy lifted his hand slightly and said, "There might be.  I know all of the one's that wouldn't join us and most of those that would."

Dumbledore nodded and said, "very well then.  Begin asking them.  But tread carefully.  You must not give yourselves away.  They could contact their parents and Voldemort would move all the sooner.  Miss Granger, Mister Longbottom, I suggest the two of you do the research."

"We can't do it on our own, professor," said Hermione.

"Ask Ginny," said Harry.  "She may help.  Stephen too.  And as soon as we find others, they can too."

"So you _are_ leader of this little army, aren't you?" remarked Malfoy.

Harry turned on him, eyes flashing, and snapped, "I told you, I'm not…"

"I know what you said," interrupted Malfoy.  "And you heard what I said."

"I won't."

"You're all we've got."

"I won't," repeated Harry, eyes narrowed.

"Leave him alone!" cried Sheyne, turning violently on Malfoy, her face half shifting to panther then back.  The blond leapt backwards, falling out of his chair onto the floor, gray eyes wide.

"_Quiet!_" bellowed Dumbledore, drowning them all out.  "Mister Malfoy, leave that question open and alone.  Miss Snape, control yourself.  Harry…"

"We should get started," said Harry, head down, eyes on the floor.  He turned and started for the door then stopped.

"Can you turn off the trap, sir?"

Dumbledore nodded and pulled out his wand, flicking it at the door.  There was a faint popping sound and then Harry was gone, Hermione hightailing after him.  Neville followed at a hurried pace, eyes wide.

Sheyne glared at Malfoy for a moment as he pulled himself up off the floor before she too left.  The blond slowly followed her, closing the door behind him.

Dumbledore sat at his desk for a long moment before he said to the bird in the corner, "We are in a pickle, aren't we?"

Fawkes trilled softly in agreement then began to preen a wing.

* * *

"So, where to first, Malfoy?" asked Sheyne as they five teenagers headed back towards Gryffindor Tower.

"What?" said the blond, apparently deep in thought.

"I said, where to first?"

"Oh.  Well, I suppose I should make a list."

"That's the smartest thing you've said yet," said Sheyne with a smirk.

Malfoy frowned at her then blinked when Harry said, "You'd better go back to the dungeons to do that, Malfoy.  Imagine if you're seen with us."

"Good point.  Where…"

"We could meet in the dungeons," said Hermione.  "I know there are rooms down there that aren't being used."

Harry looked over his shoulder at Sheyne, who had paled severely.  She then locked eyes with him and smiled, though it looked more like a grimace.  He smiled in return and slowed his pace until he was beside her, where he slung his arm about her shoulder.

"You've been avoiding it, haven't you?" he said, absently listening to Hermione and Malfoy talking about which room in the dungeons to use.

"What?" asked Sheyne, avoiding the subject.

"The dungeons."

"No."

"Don't lie to me," snapped Harry, causing Sheyne to look up at him.  "I know you have.  I've seen you.  Just like I've seen you run away from me."

Sheyne looked ashamed and whispered, "You look more like him than I do."

"I know.  I've seen it too."  He lifted her chin with his other hand so their eyes met again.  "But we can't run from this, Shey.  He's gone and we've both got to face it."

"I don't want to," said Sheyne.  "I just found him.  _We_ just found him!"

"I know," murmured Harry.

Sheyne wrapped an arm about Harry's waist and pillowed her head on his shoulder, sighing.

"Why did this have to happen?"

"Maybe its fate," said Harry.  "Maybe somebody up there has a screwed sense of humor.  I don't know."

"It sucks."

"Life sucks, dear sister.  But, think, we could be in Voldemort's hands."

"There's still that possibility," said Sheyne, tilting her head back to look up at him.

Harry looked down at her, his arm tightening about her shoulders.  He stated, "But I won't let that happen.  You're _my_ sister and Voldemort can't have you."

Sheyne smiled and said, "Thanks."

"Anytime."

"So," said Malfoy, "we'll meet in the room four rooms down from Snape's classroom.  That okay with all of you?"

"Yeah," said Sheyne and Harry.

"Okay then," said Malfoy.  "I'll go make that list."

"What do we do?" asked Neville as he watched Malfoy's retreating back.

Harry gave a half-shrug and replied, "I guess we wait."

"I hate waiting," remarked Sheyne.

Harry laughed at that as they headed back towards Gryffindor Tower.  He said, "You and me both."

A/N: The idea for the Marks on the Death Eater's children is inspired by Severitus' Serpent's Children in her fic A Father's Sin.  Whereas hers are small serpents found anywhere on the face of specially bred children, mine is the Dark Mark in its usual place on _every_ child of a DE after they were Marked.  Voldemort has the power to take over their mind's (as he does in AFS) and control them.  But not inside the wards of Hogwarts.


	27. Chapter 27 :: January 17, 1996 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 27 :: January 17, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Afternoon_

"BUGGERING SOD!"

Harry ducked as he entered the Gryffindor common room at the exact moment Ginny, face flushed in anger and red hair wild, sent a very large tome across the room.  Beside the girl, Neville blinked owlishly and scooted his chair away from her.

"I sense that it's not going too well," quipped Harry as he walked over to the table the two sat at.

Ginny glared at him and irritably brushed her hair back from her face.  "No," she spat, "its not going _well_.  We've been through Merlin knows how many books and still nothing!  _And its bloody pissing me off!_"

"You're beginning to scare me," remarked Neville in a soft voice.

"Really?" said Ginny in a bland tone.  She ran a hand over her face then looked up at Harry, all the anger draining out of her, replaced by exhaustion.  "What are you doing in here?  I thought you and Sheyne were out with him."

Harry nodded and sat down in a chair that was probably Hermione's at some point in time judging from the fact that more books were by it along with sheets of parchment covered by her tiny, neat writing.  He ran a hand back through his hair and said, "I was.  Do you know how exhausting it is to try and talk sense into a Slytherin?"

"No."

"Try shoving a live wire down your throat, another up your ass, and connect them somewhere in the middle."

Neville winced at the mental image and put down his book, looking across the table at the taller boy.  "Was Malfoy wrong?" he asked.

"No," replied Harry.  "Most of them will listen to me."  He laughed harshly and continued, "_Most_ of them."

"And the rest?" said Ginny.

"I believe we have already gone over that little piece of hell."

Harry stretched in the chair suddenly, bones in his left shoulder cracking loudly.  He winced at that but ignored it for the most part, letting his body slid down the chair a bit when he relaxed.

"Where's Mione?" he asked after a moment.

Ginny frowned and replied, "Well, she…bloody hell.  Neville, where'd she go?"

"I think she said something about taking a break," replied the boy.  Since Christmas hols, he had become a tad bit more confident in himself.  He was still nervous but not as much.  Perhaps it had to do with the Mark's appearance and his will not to fall under Voldemort's control.

"A _break_?" exclaimed Harry, eyebrows arching as he sat up in surprise.  "Excuse me, are we talking about _Hermione Granger_?  I had no idea the word was in her vocabulary."

Ginny glared at him and Harry held up his hands in defense.

"Please.  I'm tired of being attacked today."

"Then stop saying things like that.  If you really want to find her, why don't you go look in her dorm?  She might have slipped up there."

"What about Lavender…"

"Oh, they're long gone.  Something about a class with Trelawney or something," said Ginny with an absent wave of her hand.

Harry snorted loudly at that then rose from the chair and crossed the common room to the staircase.  As he started up the steps towards the girl's dorms, Ginny and Neville were buried back in their books.

When he reached the fifth year girls dormitory, he heard someone crying inside.  Frowning, he cautiously reached out and pushed the door open, peering one emerald orb inside.  Not seeing anything through an inch of space, he pushed the door open a little further, catching a glimpse of a bed.  And a bushy-haired girl lying upon it.

"_Mione?_" he exclaimed in complete surprise, shoving the door open to bang against the wall.

Hermione sat up, shock written across her face.  Tears had stained her cheeks silver and her eyes were red.  When she saw him, a look of pain passed across her face and she buried her face in her pillow.

Harry, worry in his face and eyes, slowly walked towards her.  He pushed back a scarlet bed curtain with one hand, easing himself down onto the bed beside her.  After a moment, he reached his hand out and brushed his fingertips against her hair, letting it slid on down to her shoulders and back.

"Mione," he said softly.  "Look at me."

The bushy head did not move and Harry frowned.

"Mione," he said in a more commanding tone.  "Mione, look at me."

Slowly the head did lift as Hermione propped herself up on her elbows.  But she didn't look at him.

Harry, frown deepening, said, "What's wrong?"

"I can't," said the girl in a teary voice.

"Can't what?" said Harry, his hand still stroking her hair.  "What can't you do, Mione?"

"This."

"What?  Me sitting here trying to comfort my apparently distraught friend?  Oh, come now, Hermione…"

That brought a vague laugh and Hermione turned her head to look at him over her shoulder.  She sniffed and said, "No."

Harry sobered and queried, "Then what?"

"_This_," said Hermione, sitting up abruptly.  "All of this.  It's too much.  I – I can't…"

Harry's dark eyebrows knitted as he said, "You mean…with the Marks?"

Hermione nodded.

"Mione…"

"_I don't want to lose you!_"

Harry was shocked by the sudden outburst, by the emotion that was in that sentence.  He stared at Hermione, who was looking down at her coverlet, flicking at invisible dust.  After a moment he spoke.

"Why?"

"What?" said Hermione, looking up in surprise.

"Why?" repeated Harry, emerald eyes serious.  "I know the other's reasons.  Shey because I'm her brother.  Ginny because she feels she owes me somehow.  Neville because he doesn't want to be in this alone.  Malfoy because he doesn't want to lose his squabbling partner.  But why do _you_ not want to lose me?"  He locked his eyes on hers and added, "Tell me why you wouldn't as well see me go."

Hermione looked at him for a moment.  She almost made the mistake of looking into his eyes.  Those brilliant green pools, always bright but even more so after his last birthday, would suck her in.  Who had said that eyes were windows to the soul?

That's where Harry's soul was.  In his eyes.  You could always see it.  He rarely ever masked it, rarely ever hid it when he was angry or hurt or cared.

_Oh damn._

She had done it.  She had looked.  And now she was sinking.  Sinking so far, so fast into those green orbs that she could not pull back out…

"I love you," she whispered, the words barely forming upon the air.

"What?" said Harry, not having heard.

They're eyes locked and Hermione repeated, "_I love you._"

"That's a dangerous thing to say, Mione."

"I know.  But…"

"…its true."

Hermione nodded and Harry smiled slightly.

"I had a feeling," he said.  "I really did.  I just didn't think it'd be true."

"Oh really?" said Hermione.  "And why not?"

"Because what would a wonderful person like you want with someone like me?"

Hermione frowned and said, "You sound like Snape."

"I feel like him," said Harry, rubbing his scar.  "I keep expecting to feel myself slipping away, to have that…that _creature_ take over my mind…  This must have been what he felt like, not knowing when the Mark would burn, when he would be asked to do something he did not want to…"

"You can't slip away," said Hermione, reaching out and grabbing his hand, pulling it away from his scar.  When he looked at her, she added, "I won't let you."

Harry smiled grimly and said, "I won't have much choice in the matter."

"I know.  But we'll find something."

"I thought you said you couldn't handle all of this?" said Harry with a smile.

Hermione shrugged and said, "I changed my mind."

"Oh, really?" joked Harry, one eyebrow arched.  "What made you change your mind?"

The bushy-haired girl looked up into his eyes and replied, "You."

"I'm touched."

"Harry…don't."

"I just don't think it's a good idea, Mione," said Harry, looking away from her.

Hermione frowned at him.  "Love isn't a good idea?"

"At this moment?  Mione, we don't know when Voldemort will make his move.  We don't know when he'll…"

"Harry," said Hermione, "how to he expect to do that?  This is _Hogwarts_, the most protected place in the wizarding world.  How does he expect to get to all of you if you're inside the castle?"

Harry looked at her, eyes wide, his mouth partially open.

"Oh shit," he gasped.  "Of course!  The wards.  As long as we're inside the castle, we're safe.  But…Mione, when's the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"In three weeks…" The girl trailed off, staring at the boy beside her.  "You don't think…?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," growled Harry, eyes flashing.  "The slimy bastard.  He'd get us when we're out of the castle, down in Hogsmeade."

"We have to tell Dumbledore.  He has to cancel!"

"And then let one of the Death Eater's children actually looking _forward_ to becoming one of that madman's drones warn him?  I think not," said Harry.  "Let the weekend go on."

"Harry!" said Hermione.

"No, no, listen to me.  Let the weekend go on.  _But_ – tell everyone who doesn't want to become Voldemort's next Death Eater that the weekend is canceled.  If Voldemort makes his move then we'll be ready.  And if he doesn't, we'll be ready the next weekend."

"And if the wards fail somehow?" asked Hermione.  "There are ways to do that."

"Then we'll have to make sure no one does," growled Harry.  "We'll have eyes everywhere soon enough and will be able to follow them.  And we'll have Malfoy, not to mention a few others."

"Who?" said Hermione, who had not seen the list Malfoy had made out.

"Not very many.  Maybe seven?  And one's a first year."  Harry shook his head sadly and continued, "She had no idea her father was a Death Eater.  And did you know that Moody has a nephew?  He's a sixth year – Mika Davids.  Apparently both his parents were Death Eaters.  He said Moody took them down himself."

"How terrible."

"He says he doesn't remember them.  And he rather thinks Moody would approve of what we're doing."

"That's nice," said Hermione.

Harry snorted then looked at his watch.

"I'd better go," he said.  "I left Shey with Malfoy…"

"So they're either insulting each other or killing each other?" quipped Hermione.

"Exactly."

Harry got up off the bed, standing there for a long moment, obviously thinking.  Hermione frowned at him for a moment then finally said, "What is it?"

"Well," said Harry, "I think you should keep looking for a charm or something.  If Voldemort could do it, there's a way to undo it – besides killing him, that is.  Or at least blocking it."  He looked down at her and continued, "We can't stay locked in this castle for the rest of our lives."

"But," said Hermione, "we've looked…"  Harry gave her a very open look, both eyebrows arched, and she gasped, clapping her hands together.

"Of course!  The restricted section!"

"Mmm, you do think fast," murmured Harry, smiling.  "I'll go ask Dumbledore about it.  And even if he won't let us in there…"  His voice trailed off as a mischievous grin spread across his lean face, matching the twinkle in his eyes.  "Well, then I guess we'll just have to get out my Cloak, won't we?"

"I guess we will," agreed Hermione, smiling up at him.

Harry chuckled then turned to go.  He was just about to leave when Hermione called out to him.

"Harry."

The dark-haired boy turned about, eyebrows arched slightly, emerald eyes almost as open as windows.  Which Hermione knew they would never be again.  They would never be as open as they were when she had first seen them.  Harry was not that innocent young boy anymore.

"Yes?"

Hermione felt her stomach do a flip-flop and her throat tightened, keeping her from speaking.  She coughed slightly then looked up at him, meeting his eyes.

"I love you."

Harry smiled at her and said, "I love you, too."

Then he was gone.

Hermione sank back onto her bed, cheeks flushed and stomach doing somersaults.  He'd said he loved her.  He'd said it.

But what if he was only saying that because they were friends?  She didn't love him like a friend!

Anger had just begun to filter through her happiness when she felt something warm on her cheek.  Lifting her hand up to it, she rested her palm upon it, feeling the warmth.  It was almost…almost as though someone invisible was kissing her cheek.

Then she smiled, realizing who it was.  Sighing, she fell back onto her pillows, hand cupped against her cheek until Lavender and Parvati came in and asked her what she was doing.  Then she only smiled secretly at them and left the dorm, going back downstairs to the common room where she found Neville still diligently researching and Ginny asleep on top of an Advanced Charms book.

Harry was curled up in a chair by the fire, long legs thrown over the arm and a charms book balanced precariously on his knees.  He saw her and smiled warmly.  Hermione returned it with one just as warm and sat down to research again, her heart fluttering


	28. Chapter 28 :: February 5, 1996 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 28 :: February 5, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Afternoon_

The Friday before the Hogsmeade weekend, other Death Eater's children were constantly barraging Harry.  He finally just went up to Gryffindor Tower and lay down on his bed with the curtains drawn, completely skipping double Potions in the afternoon.  Dumbledore could figure out why easily enough.

Maybe fifteen minutes after he heard the bell signaling the end of afternoon classes, someone opened one of the curtains and climbed up onto his bed with him.  Harry was lying on his stomach and did not want to get up to see who it was.  Besides, he had already smelled her.

"'Lo, Mione," he murmured into the pillow as the bushy haired girl curled up beside him.

"Hi," came the reply.  "Are you nervous?"

Harry kept his eyes closed as he replied, "Nah."  Slowly he turned onto his side, to which Hermione snuggled close to.  She tucked her head under his chin and sighed contentedly.

"I don't believe you," she said after a moment.

"I'm glad somebody doesn't.  Even Shey believes me," said Harry, running his hand through her hair.

"She hasn't known you as long as I have."

"True."  Harry opened his eyes and sighed heavily.  "Mione, do you think this is crazy?"

Hermione shifted slightly then replied, "Everything is a little crazy, Harry."

"I know.  But, this plan…"

"It will work."

"Oh, really?" said Harry.  "And how do you know that, Miss Granger?"

"Because, Mister Snape," said Hermione matter-of-factly, "I believe in you."

"That…"

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Harry pulled back slightly so he could smile down at the girl in his arms and murmured, "Whatever you say."  Hermione laughed softly and they cuddled close, the silence between them a comfortable one.

* * *

_Saturday…_

"I feel left out," grumbled Sheyne as she slumped down in her chair.

"Well," said Hermione from the couch, where she sat leaning against Harry.  "Just think.  You could be one of Voldemort's drones."

"I congratulate you on saying the name," muttered Sheyne, still looking disgruntled.  "How are we going to know if Voldemort's taken them, by the way?"

"Malfoy said we'd feel it," replied Harry, curling a lock of Hermione's hair about his finger.

"Even inside the wards?"

"That's what he said."

"What'll it feel like?"

"Now how should he know that?"

"Are you going soft on him?" joked Hermione, looking at the boy behind her.

"And if I am?" defended Harry.  "He's not such a bad chap…"

"_Harry!_" exploded Sheyne.  She had sat up like a bolt in her chair and was gaping at her half-brother.

"What?"

"Tell me your joking."

"Er…no."

"_Harry!_"

Harry winced and moaned, "Please stop yelling my name."

"Sorry," said Sheyne.  "But, _Harry_…Malfoy?"

"As I _said_, he's not such a bad chap."

Hermione turned slightly on the couch and said, "You two solved your differences?"

"Well, yeah.  A few days ago."

"Oh," said Sheyne with a smirk.  "So that's how you got that bruise on your cheek."

"Malfoy had a broken nose," gasped Hermione suddenly.  She looked at the boy beside her and admonished, "_Harry_."

"_Wha-at?_" exclaimed Harry, eyes wide and innocent.

"Did you punch Malfoy?"

"Well…we both sort of punched each other.  He just happened to get the worst one.  Did nearly break my jaw though, the bugger."

Sheyne burst out laughing.  After she had caught her breath, she gasped, "_That's_ what you call settling your differences?"

"Well…yeah," said Harry.  "He wanted to hit me, so I obliged.  Then I promptly hit him back.  It was a win-win situation."

"Oh really?" said Hermione, arching an eyebrow as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Yeah.  He got out whatever he wanted and I got revenge."

"For what?" asked Sheyne.

"For every insult he's delivered in the last four years."

"What did he punch you for?" asked Hermione.

"Something about me being a complete ass…  I can't completely recall…"  Harry suddenly looked up as a pale Neville rushed into the common room, panting heavily.  He sat up quickly and demanded, "What's going on?"

"M-Malfoy," panted Neville, blue eyes wide as he pointed towards the open portrait.  "Crabbe and Goyle…Pansy…bunch of other Slytherins."

"Where?" growled Harry, rising from the couch.

"Second floor.  By – by the statue of the dragon."

"I know that spot," said Sheyne.  "C'mon.  There's a secret passage that comes out right behind the statue."

"Let's go then," growled Harry.  Sheyne nodded and the two of them charged out of the room.  Hermione made Neville sit down to catch his breath then raced after them.

* * *

"Harry…"

"Shh…"  Harry held up a hand to silence Hermione and Sheyne as the three of them crept down the dusty passageway.  "I hear something…"

"We're close to the end," breathed Sheyne.  "There's a panel somewhere that opens it."

"Not yet," hissed Harry, touching her arm.  "I want to hear first."

"And if they're injuring Malfoy?" asked Hermione as Sheyne searched for the panel.

Harry gave her a Look, his green eyes practically glowing in the dark of the passage.  Sheyne's amber eyes were almost glowing as well.

"Then we'll help him," growled Harry.

When Harry felt the end of the tunnel, he stopped, holding out his hand to halt Hermione's progress.  She peered at him curiously then blinked when they heard Pansy's voice coming through the stone.

"Helping Potter now, are you, Draco?  Or should I say Snape?"  She laughed harshly and continued, "Him and that sister of his are in as much as we are.  And you're _helping them?_  My, my – how the mighty have fallen."

"Better to have fallen from grace," grated Malfoy's voice weakly, "than to have sunk as low as you, Parkinson."

"Stupid…  _Crabbe!_"

There was a grunt and then Malfoy's voice rang out in pain.  Harry's fist clenched and he growled under his breath, "The bastards.  They're not even giving him the chance to fight."

"How do they know he's helping us?" hissed Hermione in his ear, her breath tickling.

"Probably a snitch.  Bloody sod's.  Shey, have you got that panel?"

"Yep.  But…"

"What?" asked Harry, his face turned towards the wall.

"Should we really go out there?  Us doing that would just confirm their suspicions."

"If we don't, they could _kill him_.  Or they might even drag him outside."

"He hasn't Called…oh, God…"

"What?" hissed Hermione as Sheyne let out a low moan.  Harry shook his head slowly, his eyes still focused on the wall.

"He's doing it," he whispered.  "He's – Voldemort's taking them.  He's taking them now.  I – I can feel it."

"Me too," breathed Sheyne.  "Oh, God, Harry.  There's so many of them!"

"I know," said Harry.  Hermione felt left out of this conversation.  She couldn't feel what they felt.  But the Slytherins gathered outside the statue could.

"He's Calling," grunted Goyle.

"I hear it," spat Pansy.  "Pick him up.  I'm sure our Lord would love to know what the little renegade's are doing."

"Push it," spat Harry to Sheyne, drawing his wand.  "Push it or Malfoy's done for."

Sheyne depressed the panel and the dragon statue began to slide away from the end of the tunnel.  Harry squirmed out as soon as there was enough space and leveled his wand at a sixth year Slytherin's back.

"_Stupefy!_"

Pansy and another fifth year girl (Millicent Bulstrode, it seemed) turned and drew their wands on Harry, both firing hexes.  But Sheyne was there at her brother's side, casting a shield spell.  The two hexes ricocheted off the shield and dissipated against the stone walls.

"Put him down," growled Harry to Goyle, who had a limp Malfoy thrown over one shoulder.  Goyle started to comply but Pansy stepped in.

"No," she said, "leave him right there, Goyle."  She sneered at Harry and spat, "Do you _really_ think you can fight the Dark Lord, Potter?"

"One: I'm a Snape, you ditz.  Two: I've done that three times now.  Three: I don't want to become his mindless drone.  Four: I _really_ don't like him.  Five: he killed my father.  Six: he killed my mother and the man I thought was my father.  Seven: I _really really_ don't like him.  Shall I continue or do you get the general picture?"

Pansy smirked and said, "You'd have made a good Slytherin, Potter."

Harry smiled grimly and quipped, "Y'know, the Sorting Hat said that too.  But we're not talking about my House, are we?  So, put Malfoy down and if you _really_ want to become a mindless little drone for Voldemort's plots, be my guest.  But Malfoy stays."

"Don't tell me you've grown attached to him," sneered Millicent.  "He's _nothing_."

"He's got more brains than the lot of you," said Hermione from Harry's other side.  "And a better sense of preservation."

"What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Pansy, eyes flashing.

"You figure it out," shot Hermione venomously.

"Go on now," growled Sheyne, waggling the fingers of her left hand at them.  "Go on to Voldemort.  Oh, but leave the blond.  As Harry said, we want him."

"You can't have him," stated Pansy, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Oh really?" said Harry.  He looked at Sheyne and arched an eyebrow.  The girl smirked at him then tucked her wand up her sleeve before her form shimmered and was replaced by that of a black panther.  Pansy and Millicent squealed in terror as the panther moved forward in a few liquid steps, black lips pulled back from sharp white fangs.

Harry smirked and said, "Please excuse my sister.  Sometimes she just has to – ah – 'let the animal out'.  If you know what I mean…"  Hermione chuckled softly beside him and he winked at her.

Pansy turned white as the panther circled the Slytherins then snapped at Goyle, "Put him down!"

"But…" began a third year Slytherin.

"Its _him_ or our _lives_," spat Pansy.  "Which would you prefer?"

"Actually," said Hermione with a smile, "its him or your servitude to Voldemort."

"Shut up," snapped Pansy as Goyle dropped Malfoy roughly on the ground.  The panther moved towards the blonde's limp body after this, placing one large paw on his side and snarling at the Slytherins.

"I think that's your cue to leave," said Harry, lifting his wand and looking down the length of it.  "Don't and I'll start hexing the lot of you.  And trust me when I say I know a few good hexes.  Good not meaning nice, happy one's."

"You'll regret this, Potter," growled Pansy as they started down the corridor.

Harry smiled coldly at her and replied, "I don't think so, Pansy.  Say hello to Voldemort for me."

The Slytherin scowled at him then vanished about the corner with the rest of her group.  Sheyne popped back into herself and knelt beside Malfoy.  Hermione moved forward and knelt beside her, reaching out to check the blonde's pulse.  She looked at Harry and said, "He's okay."

"We should get him to Madam Pomfrey," said Sheyne, eying his slightly crooked left arm.  "They broke his arm.  And his hand!  Oh, buggers, the lot of them."

Hermione nodded vaguely and looked at Harry again, who had tucked his wand into his belt.  She asked, "Shouldn't we go after them?"

Harry shook his head and said, "It wouldn't do any good."

"Wouldn't do any…"  Hermione rose to her feet and strode over to the boy, looking up at him in shock.  "Harry, we could keep them…"

"No," snapped Harry.

"But…_why?_"

Harry sighed and ran a hand back through his hair as he said, "Because we'd have to lock them up.  You don't get it, Mione.  They _want_ to go.  That's how they were raised.  They were raised to jump at Voldemort's orders…"

"Malfoy doesn't want to," interjected Hermione, crossing her arms.

"That's because Malfoy's actually got a mind of his own, not one siphoned off one of his parents brains."  Harry sighed and said, "Imagine if we held them against their will.  If they got out, d'you know what they'd do?  Attack us.  With no reserves.  They'd use every curse and hex they know and they wouldn't give a damn.  And if Voldemort decided to attack?  They'd definitely find some way to get out then and take us while our backs were turned."  He sighed again.

"Plus," he added almost as an afterthought, "we'd really be no better than that madman if we held them against their will, now wouldn't we?"

Hermione frowned then sighed, giving Harry an exasperated look.

"I hate it when you're right."

"Thank you."

"Shut up and let's get Malfoy to the Hospital Wing.  _Locomotor mortis_."

Malfoy's body rose into the air and the three of them trailed along behind it as they headed down the corridor, Harry and Sheyne both sensing as Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and the four other Slytherins were taken over by Voldemort.  The two Snape's shivered at this revelation and Sheyne slid her hand into her half-brother's, gripping it tight.

* * *

When they arrived at the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey was oddly absent.  Hermione frowned at this as she levitated Malfoy onto a bed then turned towards Harry, her eyes dark.

"Something's wrong," she murmured.  "Madam Pomfrey's always here."

"I know," said Harry, looking around.  "Something's up."

"You mean something smell's fishy," corrected Sheyne, leaning towards the door.

Harry frowned at his half-sister and said, "Noooo…"

"No," said Sheyne.  She pointed at the door and said, "Something _actually_ smells fishy."

Hermione sniffed the air and said, "I don't smell anything."

Sheyne sighed and said, "That's because you're not a Shifter.  Pa – Papa told me that Shifter's have better senses than regular wizards and witches."  She jerked her thumb at the door and continued, "And that door smells like fish and it shouldn't."

Madam Pomfrey suddenly bustled through the doors and nearly bowled Sheyne down.

"Oh.  Sorry, Sheyne, dear…"

"Its alright, Madam Pomfrey," mumbled the girl as she regained her balance.  She gave her head a shake then asked, "What's the rush?"

"Oh!" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey, her eyes widening.  She looked from Sheyne to Harry and held a hand up to her mouth.  "Professor Dumbledore wouldn't want me to tell the two of you…"

"What?" demanded Harry, crossing his arms across his chest.  His eyes narrowed dramatically and practically burned with annoyance.

Madam Pomfrey gave him a look of pity, much like McGonagall had when he'd limped down to the dungeons after he'd heard the stones screaming.  She then closed her eyes and said softly, "I have a confession to make."

Sheyne and Harry waited patiently, Hermione hovering at Harry's elbow.  Three sets of eyes watched the mediwitch expectantly, waiting for her next words.

Madam Pomfrey looked up at them and said, "Severus was never dead."

"_WHAT?!_" bellowed Harry and Sheyne at the same time.

"Then _what the hell_ did you let us think so for?" roared Harry, eyes flashing.  Sheyne nodded sharply, her eyes shifting between blood red, acid green, and venomous yellow."

"A-Albus told me not to tell you," murmured Madam Pomfrey, ducking her head at the wrath of the Snape children.  "I wanted to…"  She looked up at them, tears in her eyes, and said, "I truly wanted to.  I never wanted to see either of you hurt."

"Too late," spat Harry viciously.  He scowled darkly and growled, "So, why the charade?  I assume there was a _reason_ for it other than _nearly driving us MAD!_"

"Albus thought that Voldemort assumed when you two thought Severus was dead, you'd turn to him.  It failed."  Madam Pomfrey closed her eyes again.  "So he formed another plan…"

"_What?_" demanded Sheyne, eyes shifting back to her normal amber as her pupil's shifted from human to cat.

Madam Pomfrey's shoulders shook as she breathed, "They took him.  When they left, they took him."

"How in the _fucking hell_ did _they_ know?" spat Harry.

"I don't know!" cried Madam Pomfrey.  She then spotted Malfoy's feet and said, "Oh dear.  They attacked him, didn't they?"

"Yesssss," growled Harry, the 's' drawing out into a snakelike hiss.  "Somehow they found out and now Voldemort knows about us.  He'll probably know what we're trying to do to."  He closed his eyes and lifted a hand to rub at his scar.  "And now," he added darkly, "you're telling us that our father is really _alive_ and that that bastard has him in his hands."

Madam Pomfrey nodded slowly and Harry let out an angry hiss of breath, looking at Sheyne.  He then looked at the mediwitch and said, "So all of this was Dumbledore's idea?  He really knew about the Mark's and everything…  _Bloody conniving old man!_"

"Yes."

"Son of a…"  Harry trailed off, closing his eyes again as his fists clenched tightly at his sides.  When he looked up again, there was murder in his emerald eyes.

"All Dumbledore's idea, aye?" he said softly.  "I'll show Dumbledore his _idea_."  With that he stalked out of the Hospital Wing and headed straight towards the gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster's office.  Sheyne followed him, her eyes continually flashing through different colors.

Madam Pomfrey looked at Hermione, who was staring after them, and said hurriedly," Go after them, girl.  If Harry harms Dumbledore, the whole Order will fall apart!"

"The Order?"

"Nevermind that!  Just go and _stop him!_"

"But…" said Hermione.

"Its like Severus and Rowena, my girl," said Madam Pomfrey hurriedly.  "If Harry is _anything_ like his father, he won't do harm if _you_ stop him."

"What about Sheyne?"

"I can stop her," said Stephen, suddenly appearing at the door, his pale green eyes grave.  He looked at Hermione and said, "We have to hurry.  C'mon!"

Hermione nodded and the two of them ran down the corridor, hoping they weren't too late as Madam Pomfrey turned her attention upon the injured Malfoy.

A/N: Harry's pissssssed.  And Sev's alive.  Surprised?  **I am.**  Shut up, Atra.


	29. Chapter 29 :: February 5, 1996 :: Hogwar

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 29 :: February 5, 1995 :: Hogwarts – Afternoon_

"Harry," said Dumbledore jovially as the tall fifth year entered his office, followed by his half-sister.  "And Sheyne.  What's brings the two of you up here?"

"I heard a rumor, Dumbledore," said Harry in a soft voice, anger flickering under the soft tone like flames.  "I heard a rumor that Severus Snape, our _father_, was still alive and not dead like we were lead to believe."

Dumbledore steepled his fingers and said, "I have no idea what you are talking about…"

"_Don't play coy with me!_" bellowed Harry.  An entire shelf of silver contraptions to his left melted into puddles, the molten silver flowing down off the shelf to the floor in tiny waterfalls in reaction to his anger.  He snarled, "You knew.  You bloody _knew_ about the whole lot of this.  And you let those bastards who went to Voldemort take him when they left the castle this morning!"

"I can't believe this," spat Sheyne, her eyes a mix of acid green and a venomous yellow.  "We _trusted_ you, sir.  Our _father_ trusted you."

"It was necessary," said Dumbledore cryptically.

"_Necessary?_" growled Harry, eyes flashing murder.  "Necessary would be telling us what the hell was going on.  Necessary would have been not letting them get away with our father's body.  _Necessary_ would not be me ripping out your _throat!_"  The teen's body was abruptly surrounded by an aura of mixed silver and green.  His eyes were now completely emerald and glowing with a brightness to rival the jewels they resembled.  As he lifted a hand, the words of a curse on his lips, Hermione and Stephen rushed in.

"_Harry, no!_"

Harry froze, hand in the air, and turned his head slowly to look at Hermione.  The bushy haired girl was looking at him in horror, her fists clenched in front of her mouth and her brown eyes wide behind them.  Their eyes locked and Harry felt a wave of revulsion pass through him.  Revulsion at himself, at what he had been about to do.  As his eyes returned to normal and the aura faded, he sank to his knees, face white as a sheet.

Hermione rushed to his side and knelt beside him, placing her hand on his arm.

"Don't," whispered Harry, eyes closed, head bowed against his chest.  But Hermione didn't move.  She did, however, lift her head and glare at Dumbledore.

Meanwhile, Stephen had crossed the room and was speaking in soft tones to Sheyne, whose multi-colored eyes had returned to normal.  But only in color.  Anger still rolled in them, stormy and dark.

"Harry…" started Dumbledore, but was interrupted as the teen threw himself to his feet, his hands slamming down hard enough on the claw-footed desk to crack the wood.  Emerald eyes still burning with the want to murder locked onto pale blue and held them.

"Don't _ever_ say my name again," snarled Harry.  "_Ever._  I never want to hear my name or the names of anyone I love pass your lips.  So help me, I'll cut out your _tongue_ if I hear them."

"Harry," hissed Hermione, gently tugging on his arm.  Harry held up a hand, not looking at her, his eyes still locked on Dumbledore's.

"We're not your little army," he spat.  "We're not yours to command, not yours to lead, not yours to bloody _mention_.  As of now, you can _fuck off_ and leave us alone.  We're on our own.  We'll still be your students, oh yes, but after hours?  After hours, we're _us_ and you can't touch us.  And you _know it_."

Dumbledore sat silent through Harry's entire tirade, not moving at all.

Harry scowled and shook his head sadly.

"I used to believe in you, y'know.  Now…now's different.  I'm different.  I'm not naïve and eleven anymore."  Harry frowned darkly and continued, "I'm fifteen and I think I may actually see the truth of the matter now.  You're nothing but a conniving old man.  You can't fight Voldemort yourself so you'd send _us_ to do it.  Well, news flash, no more of that.  We're gone.  Adios!  Cheerio!  Good-bye!  Gone! Vamos!  Are we clear?"

Harry didn't wait for an answer.  He shoved himself away from the desk as though it were contagious and turned towards the door, only pausing to offer his arm to Hermione.  The bushy haired girl took it and they walked out, followed swiftly by Sheyne and Stephen, who both had their arms about each other.

As soon as they were gone, Dumbledore rose from his desk and went to the fireplace.  From a small jar he took a handful of powder and threw it into the fire.  When the flames burned purple, he bent down.

"Remus Lupin."

* * *

"What now?" asked Stephen as the four of them walked down an empty corridor.  Sheyne shrugged then looked at Harry.

"Does Dumbledore know who all are…"

"No," replied Harry.  "I've got the list and only you, Malfoy, and me know everyone."

"What are we going to do now?" asked Hermione, leaning her head against Harry's shoulder.  The dark-haired boy looked down at her and tightened his arm about her shoulder.

"I don't know yet," he said.  "But it'll come to me."

Sheyne smiled grimly and remarked, "It seems Malfoy was right."

"About what?" asked Stephen, not knowing what Malfoy was right about.

Harry stopped and frowned at Sheyne as she and Stephen came up beside him and Hermione.  He simply stood there, looking at her, waiting for her next words.  Sheyne smiled at him, her eyes almost reflecting it.

"That Harry would make a good leader."

Stephen looked at Harry, who was still eying his half-sister.  After a moment the dark-haired boy laughed.

"Well," he said, "it would seem so."

"Harry…" said Hermione.  "You said…"

Harry looked down at the girl beside him and shook his head, saying, "I think I just got the job, Mione, what with that scene with Dumbledore."

The other three's faces fell at the mention of that and Stephen asked, "Would you really have done it, Harry?  Would you really have killed him?"

Hermione looked up at Harry, whose brows were knitted as he thought.  After a moment he locked eyes with her and smiled tightly.

"I'm not that kind of person."

"You might have to become one," said Sheyne.  "We may all have to."

"He who fights monsters should look into it that he himself does not become a monster. When you gaze long into the Abyss, the Abyss also gazes into you," murmured Hermione.  "Friedrich Neitzsche."

"Wise words," said Sheyne.  Harry nodded in agreement.

The four of them stood in the corridor for a long moment before Stephen asked again, "What now?"  Sheyne and Hermione looked at Harry at this question.

"Get everyone together," he said after a moment.  "If we're going to fight back against Voldemort, we'll need some practice."

"Couldn't we…no, no…" mumbled Hermione, shaking her head.  Harry frowned down at her and gave her a little shake so she'd looked up at him.

"What?" he asked.

"No, its silly."

"Hermione," admonished Sheyne, "you've yet to say a silly thing."

"Except about that SPEW," said Stephen, earning a scowl from the bushy haired girl.

"Shh," joked Harry, "she'll kill you for insulting her crusade."

Hermione elbowed the tall boy in his side then said, "Couldn't we…oh, I don't think you'll like it."

Harry smiled and leaned slightly towards her.  "Try me," he said.

"Okay…"  Hermione sighed then said very quickly, "Couldn'tweaskothersiftheywantedtohelp?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," joked Sheyne.  "It was a _little fast_."

Hermione flushed and said, slowly, "Couldn't we…couldn't we ask others if they wanted to help?"  When no one replied for a long moment she ducked her head and muttered, "It's a silly idea, isn't it?"

"Not at all," murmured Harry, lifting her chin.  "There are probably a lot who would want to.  It's a grand idea, Mione."

The bushy haired girl flushed as she grinned up at him.

"I'm glad you think so."

"I'm glad you thought of it."

"Oh stop it," moaned Stephen.  "I can't stand mushy stuff."

"Shut up," snapped Sheyne, smiling at her half-brother and Hermione.

Hermione looked at Stephen and smiled mischievously.  "Can't stand mushy stuff?" she said softly.

"Oh," said Harry, "he can't stand mushy stuff.  How dreadful."

"I suppose that would mean we shouldn't…"  Hermione looked up at Harry, her brown eyes twinkling.

Harry smiled down at her and shook his head.  "No, I suppose we shouldn't…"

"Maybe once…"

"Ah, yes.  Once won't damage his probably _fragile_ mind, will it?"

"No, I don't think it will."

"What are you two talking…" began Stephen then cut himself off as Harry bent down and kissed Hermione.  "Oh _stop it!_  Jeez…"

Sheyne giggled and said, "They got you, Ste."

"Shut up, Shey," grumbled Stephen.

A/N:  The idea for inviting others into the little DE group is inspired by the group in OOTP


	30. Chapter 30 :: February 8, 1996 :: Hogwar...

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 30 :: February 8, 1996 :: Hogwarts – Afternoon_

"Aboleo!"

"_Aboleo!_"

"Again!"

"_Aboleo!_"

"AGAIN!"

"_ABOLEO!_"

"Get off it, Snape!" yelled Draco.  "Throw a spell at us!"

Harry scowled at the blond and snapped, "I'm not throwing a spell at anyone until you can do the bloody spell _right!_"

"Try me."

"Don't tempt me, Malfoy."

"Scared?"

Harry's eyes narrowed and he growled, "You want me to throw a spell at you, Malfoy?"

"_Harry_," said Hermione warningly, lowering her wand.

"_Yeeeaaaah_," sneered Draco.

"Fine.  _Obsequium!_"

A look of pain passed over Draco's face and he shook, as though he was trying to stand up against a great weight pressing down on his back.  Knees shaking, he growled, "That…all…you…got…Snape?"

"Draco, don't be an idiot," snarled Harry, releasing the spell with a flick of his wand.

"This is supposed to get us ready to fight Death Eaters, isn't it?"

"Your point?"

"My _point_," sneered Draco, "is that if you don't push us, we'll never learn anything."

"He has a point," remarked Sheyne.  "Lord help me, I just agreed with Malfoy."

"Yes, you did," said Neville.

"Kill me.  Please."

Draco glared at Sheyne then looked smugly at Harry.  "Well?"

Harry frowned for a moment then turned to the other students.  Their group consisted of the Death Eater Children, all of the Gryffindor fifth and sixth years along with two seventh years (Fred and George), and half of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff's of these same classes.  None of the Slytherins beside the DE Children had joined.  He looked at all them in turn then spread his arms slightly away from his body and said, "What do you all think?"

"Good idea," said Dean.

Seamus nodded as Lavender remarked, "We need the practice."

"Most of us," grumbled Fred, eying Draco distastefully.  The other Slytherin's bristled at this behavior and Harry quickly waved them down.

"Fine.  But first, let's get something straight.  We're all equal."  He eyed the Gryffindors and the Slytherins here.  "_Every single one of us._  If we're going to do this, we can't afford to be fighting among ourselves.  And we've got to be careful about how we meet."

"Why?" asked a Hufflepuff sixth year.  "All of the DEC's are gone."

DEC was the slang term for Death Eater Children.

"Well, with the exception of _us_," said Sheyne in a hiss.  She scowled at the sixth year, looking very perturbed.  The fact that she bore Voldemort's Mark annoyed her to no end as he had stolen both her parents and her childhood.  Not to mention her half-brother's and her adopted brother's.

"_Yes_," said Harry, frowning slightly at his sister.

"But there are still students in the school who can report back to Voldemort," explained Draco.

"Another thing," said Harry as a Ravenclaw fifth year shivered at the sound of the Dark Lord's name.  "Get used to hearing – and saying – Voldemort's name.  We're all practicing to fight him.  The first thing to fighting him well is getting over this stupid fear of his _name_.  Got it?"

"Got it," chorused several voices back.

"Good.  So, er – let's pair off.  Pick a partner and we'll practice.  One will throw a spell and the other will try to used the Aboleos Spell to dispell it.  Then we'll switch.  Alright?  Go!"

"I'm with you, Snape," said Draco, moving to Harry's left as everyone else in the room scattered.

Harry frowned down at the shorter boy and grumbled, "I had a feeling you were going to say that.  C'MON YOU LOT, ITS NOT THAT HARD!"

The mass of students shifted and swirled for a moment before it stilled, every head turning towards Harry.

"Alright.  Everyone have a partner?  Good.  Now, line up, one person on one side of the room and the other straight across from them.  Okay, ready?  Everyone even with me – yes, _me_, Jonas – cast a spell at their partner.  Nothing _lethal OR potentially dangerous_.  We're practicing, not taking down DE's.  Ready?  _FIRE!_"

"_Barathrum!_"

"_Gelo!_"

"_Taratallengara!_"

"_Expelliarmus!_"

"_Alacer Casus!_"

"_Commoveo!_"

"_Dolor Acidus!_"

"_Praecipito!_" yelled Harry, jabbing his wand at Draco.  A rush of silver motes flew out of his wand and headed straight for the blond, who lifted his wand in retaliation.

"_Aboleo!_"

Several of the motes vanished as they hit what appeared to be an invisible shield but the majority of them went right through it and hit Draco, sending him sprawling face first on the floor.

"Fuck," snarled Draco, pushing himself painfully up.  A hand suddenly appeared in his face and he looked up into Harry's green eyes.  Scowling, he grabbed the offered hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

The two boys stood staring at each other for a moment, still gripping hands, until Harry's lips twitched and he said, "You told me to give you my best shot."

Draco started to scowl then paused and burst out laughing.

* * *

_Four months later…_

"Alright, you lot.  Term's about to end and Hell knows if Voldemort might try us before then.  He might even attack the train."

"You don't think he'd…" began Jonas Filbrey, one of the Ravenclaw's.

"I _know_ he would if he thought he'd succeed in getting us.  Lord knows he's been trying."

"_Us?_" squeaked Jonas.

"Not you, bats for brains," scolded Sheyne.  "_Us_.  DEC's."

"Oh.  Sorry…"

"S'alright," said Harry.  "We've got a working charm that blocks him just fine.  Its DE attacks that I'm worried about."

"And if He _does_ attack the train?" asked Parvati.

Harry grinned and replied, "Then we give him _Hell_.  And I'm looking forward to doing it."

"For Papa," whispered Sheyne, eyes glittering.

Harry nodded then said, "One more practice before we leave.  Everyone be back down here on the 15th after classes end.  We'll go over _everything_ we've done in the last four months and a few new one's as well."

"Where'll we meet?" asked Mika Davids, twirling his wand in his fingers.

"My group'll meet me outside the entrance hall.  Shey's: take Myrtle's bathroom.  Draco's: dungeons, of course.  Mika's: library.  And for cripes sake, don't let Madam Pince catch you lurking this time, Jonas!"

"Aye," mumbled the Ravenclaw.

"What's the new passwords for the entrance's?" asked Draco.

"I'll get to that in a minute.  Group leaders, get your arses over here.  Everyone else, back to your common rooms."

"Aye, sir!" chorused several voices and the group dispersed.  Draco, Mika, and Sheyne all gathered around Harry, waiting patiently until the others had cleared from the room.

"New passes?" asked Mika, crossing his arms and peering about the Chamber.  _That_ was their meeting place: the largest chamber of Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets.  Harry had found three entrances besides the main one about the school and had set up groups (led by himself and the three around him) to switch between each entrance periodically.  He set all of the passwords, which were in Parseltongue.  Everytime the groups shifted, he changed the passwords.  And the three people about him were the best at learning the Language of the Snakes.

"I'm getting to that, Mik.  You're library, which is _Morpheus_."

"_Morpheus_," repeated Mika in Parseltongue.  When Harry shook his head, he repeated it.  Still one of the parts was off.

"No," said Harry.  "You're saying _Morphous_.  It's _Mor-phe-us_."

"_Morpheus_."

"There you go.  Shey?"

"Yeah?"

"_Hekate._"

"_Hekate_," repeated Sheyne flawlessly, the Parseltongue rolling easily off her tongue.  Perhaps it was because she too had a language that came naturally to her.  Madam Pomfrey had called it Aisteanga, which was a mix of the Gaelic words _aistrigh_ (change) and _teanga_ (tongue).  It was essentially the natural language of the Shifter's and could be spoken in any form they took.

"Can I get mine now?" whined Draco.

"Spoiled brat," grumbled Harry.  "_Aevenwing._"

"_Aeven –_ wha?  What the heck is _that?_"

"It's a type of bird that was used as a messenger by the High Elves before they died out."

"The bird's or the Elves?"

Harry growled under his breath and hissed, "Just.  Say.  The.  Word."

"Okay, okay.  _Aevenwing._"

"Turn that last _asis_ into a _hosis_ and you'll have it."

Draco repeated the word and Harry nodded.

"You all got it.  Let's head up top."

Mika and Draco nodded then turned, heading off towards the entrance that lead out into the dungeons.  Sheyne and Harry headed for the main entrance, climbing up the slippery pipe with the help of a rope Harry had installed during their first days of using the Chamber.

"Y'know," gasped Sheyne as they climbed, "we really should clean this pipe."

"I know.  You're going to the kitchens as soon as we get up, right?"

"Shower, _then_ kitchen.  Why?"

"Tell Dobby to clean the pipe.  He'd be happy to do it."

"Harry…"

"What?  He will.  He likes work.  Just about as much as he likes me."

"Heng," said Sheyne, heaving her way up out of the pipe into Myrtle's bathroom.  She side-stepped out of Harry's way as he clambered up out of the pipe, slowly unfolding his 6'3 frame.  As he stretched, she moved close to him – close enough that when his arm came down it was about her shoulder.

"Do you think we'll get him back?" she whispered as the two of them left the bathroom.

Harry frowned, knowing exactly who she was talking about.

"Yeah.  We'll get him back, Shey.  I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Harry."

"Who says I can't keep that one?" asked Harry, looking down at her.

Sheyne turned her face up towards his, expression one of grief, and said, "Don't promise, big brother.   You'll never know for sure whether you can keep it or not."

"Alright then, little sister.  Alright then…"


	31. 31 :: June 20, 1996 :: Hogwarts Grounds ...

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 31 :: June 20, 1996 :: Hogwarts Grounds – Lunch_

"Last day here," said Draco, leaning back as he stretched his arms above his head.

"Must you remind us?" groaned Sheyne as she jabbed her fork at her plate.

Harry only nodded in agreement and said, "He must.  He's a Slytherin."

"Oh, you're one to talk."

"Can't you three stop arguing for a few seconds?" asked Hermione in a pleading tone.

"No," replied the aforementioned three in unison.

"Don't tell me," said Neville as he sat down next to Hermione, seeing the three frowning at each other.  "They're arguing again."

"Of course," sighed Hermione, giving the three an exasperated look.  She then turned to the boy beside her and asked softly, "Do you think Voldemort will try the train?"

Neville shrugged and replied, "I don't know.  Maybe.  But we're all prepared for if it does happen, with those brilliant charms of yours."

Hermione flushed and muttered, "They're not brilliant."

"Sure they are!" cried Neville.  "I mean, who'd guess that a little thing like a ring could be a charmed to block spells?"

"I don't see why someone hasn't thought of it before," grumbled Hermione.  "I found this Muggle book recently by a fellow named Jim Butcher.  The main character is a wizard and he has all sorts of enchanted items.  Like a shield bracelet and a ring that keeps a little bit of energy in it from every time he moves his arm.  That's where I got the idea for the rings."

"They're brilliant," repeated Neville, rubbing the heavy silver ring on his right ring finger with his thumb.

"Thanks."

"Longbottom, are you hitting on Snape's girlfriend?" quipped Draco suddenly, grinning wryly at the two.  "You two seem to be getting awful cozy…"

Neville looked alarmed at that but Hermione just scowled and said, "Malfoy…get your head out of the gutter."

"Ooo, an insult.  Snape, your girlfriend just insulted me."

"Good," said Harry, not looking up from his plate.  Draco glared at him and Sheyne began to laugh.

"What did you expect, Malfoy?  Him to be appalled at the notion?"

"Sod off, woman," grumbled Draco, slouching in his seat.

* * *

"Isss all ssset to attack, Luciusss?"

"Yes, My Lord.  All are in place and ready to move at your command."

"Very good.  Very good indeed.  And our…sssecret weapon?"

"He is ready as well, My Lord."

"Excellent.  Go to your place, Luciusss, and wait for my command."

"Yes, My Lord."

Lucius Malfoy bowed and began to leave Voldemort's presence.  Just before he got completely away, Voldemort spoke again.

"Luciusss?"

"My Lord?"

"You have done well, Luciusss.  Bring me my children and you ssshall be greatly rewarded."

"Yes, My Lord.  It shall be done."

Voldemort smiled grimly as he watched the elder Malfoy leave.

"It had better be," he hissed, eyes burning like hot coals.

* * *

"And we're sure these things work?" said Draco as the horseless carriages carried them towards the Hogsmeade platform.

"We'll see soon enough," muttered Harry, looking out the window.

"_You mean you don't know if they work!  Snape, what sort of idiot are you!_"

"Of course, they'll work," sneered Harry.  "Mione made them, after all."

Hermione blushed at the compliment.

"Snape," growled Draco, "that does not reassure me."

"Oh, buck up, Malfoy!" snapped Sheyne, giving the blonde a shove.  "If they don't work…well then that's it, isn't it?  Voldemort has us and the wizarding world is done for."

Draco gave her an odd look and said, "You are an extremely weird person, you know that?"

Sheyne grinned and chirped, "Of course.  Its what people love about me."

Harry gave a short snort of laughter then immediately sobered as the winged boars that adorned the top of the gate came into sight.

"We're almost there."

The carriage immediately became silent, all of them tense as they waited to pass the gate.  Once they were out of it, they were off the Hogwarts grounds.  And out of the protection of its wards.

The gate flashed by and then they were off the grounds.  Harry clutched his head as he felt a flash of pain through his scar but beyond that…nothing.  His mind was still his own.

He looked triumphantly at his half-sister and Neville, who were both beaming at Hermione.   Even Draco was looking cheerier.

From the carriage behind them, came a whoop of joy and Harry grinned.

"There's Mika and his lot.  Oh, Mione, you're a lifesaver!"

"I resent being called candy," mumbled Hermione.  When Harry leaned over and kissed her, she blinked and stammered, "Nevermind.  Call me a lifesaver all you want.  I am candy."

Harry just laughed and Draco turned his gaze to the ceiling.

"Someone get me out of this madhouse."

Sheyne was the only one who heard this comment and she laughed at him, earning a glare. 

* * *

"Well, that's over," sighed Draco, leaning back into his seat.  "I'd say its time to relax but its not."

"Truer words have probably never been spoken," said Sheyne.  She suddenly got thrown across the cab into the blonde's arms as the train came to a stop in a squeal of metal.

"What happened?" exclaimed Hermione, clutching at Harry.  The dark-haired boy drew his wand, one arm wrapped around his girlfriend, and growled, "I'm betting its Voldemort.  Or at least the Death Eaters."

"Of course they'd attack now," grumbled Sheyne, pushing herself up into a sitting position.  Which made her sitting on Draco's lap, their faces inches apart.  She flushed darkly and muttered, "How embarrassing."

"Cut it out, you two," growled Harry, glaring at them.  "This is no time for antics."

"Aye, captain, sir," quipped Draco, untangling himself from Sheyne and drawing his own wand.  Sheyne straightened her robes and drew her own wand, running a nervous hand back through her dark hair.  Harry noticed this and reached out to squeeze her hand reassuringly.  She smiled at him then took a deep breath to stave off her nerves.

"Someone's coming," whispered Hermione.

"Friend or foe?" asked Draco softly.

"Heads or tails?" chirped Sheyne.

"Ron," growled Harry.

"Was he one of our choices?"

"Idiot.  It _is_ Ron."  Harry shook his head and slid the door open enough to snake his arm out.  He jerked the ginger-haired boy into the cab then closed the door again, sliding the shade down over the window.

"POTTER…!" began Ron only to have Sheyne slap her hand over his mouth.

"_Idiot!_" she hissed.  "There could be Death Eater's on the train."

"Smo?" mumbled Ron behind her hand.

"That means we're in deep shit, Weasley," sneered Draco.  "And you too if you're found with us."

Ron made a rude sign with his hand and Harry turned to glare at them, letting the shade fall back down from where he was peeking out behind it.

"Will you lot cut it out?  A DE just passed by."  His expression turned grave as he added, "With Seamus."

Hermione paled and whispered, "Have they gotten any of the other DEC's yet?"

"Don't think so."  He tapped his ring with his wand and said, "Mika.  Mika, can you hear me?"

There was a crackle, like a radio getting static, and then Mika's voice whispered into the cab.

"I'm here, Harry.  Bloody DE's are all over the place."

"Where are you?"

"Back of the train.  I've got most everyone back here in the baggage car.  We're missing the youngest 'un though.  The Ravenclaw girl."

"Briana," said Harry.  "They've got Seamus."

"Bollocks.  What're we going to do?  They're bound to check the cab you're in soon enough.  And the baggage car won't be safe for long.  We need a plan."

"I'm open to suggestions," sighed Harry.

Sheyne grinned and leaned forward, saying, "I have just the idea…"

* * *

"Where is she?  Is she there yet?"

"You seem to be awful worried, Malfoy," spat Ron.  "Developed a heart lately?"

"Piss off, Weasel.  Eh, Snape?"

"Not now," grumbled Harry, peering through the crack between the door and the doorframe.  He then lifted his ring to his lips and said, "You ready?"

"As ever," replied Mika.  "What's that sister of yours planning?"

"She's a Snape," replied Harry cryptically.

"Thanks, Harry.  You're a right old chap, y'know?"

"Welcome."  Harry looked over his shoulder at the others and asked, "Ready?"

"Yes," replied Hermione and Draco.

"No," said Ron, sulking.

"Weasley, I dislike you as much as you like me, but if you want to live through this, you're going to have to work with us."

Ron scowled at Draco at his words, his expression darkening as Hermione whispered, "He's right, Ron.  Will it kill you?"

"Yeah."

"Well would you rather die fighting or squealing like a stuck pig?" asked Harry, not looking over his shoulder at the ginger-haired boy.

"What's it matter?" asked Ron.

"A lot being as Sheyne's put her plan into action."

Draco and Hermione perked up at that.  Outside the cab there was the roar of a panther and the surprised bellow of several men.  Footsteps began to pound down the corridor towards their cab and Harry threw the door open as soon as they got close.  He leapt out into the corridor, eyes flashing darkly.

"_Stupefy!_"

There was a succession of thumps and Harry motioned to the others before he took off down the corridor.  Draco followed him, leaping over the three unconscious Death Eater's.  Hermione gave Ron a glance before she followed.

The ginger-haired boy sat there for a moment before he got up and ran after them, tripping over one of the Death Eater's arms.

"Hey, wait up!"

* * *

"What'll we do if they get in?"

Mika looked at the second year Hufflepuff cowering next to him in the baggage car.  She was a tiny sprite of a girl, her hair auburn and eyes cornflower blue.  Her name – if he remembered correctly – was Amanda Paine.

She was one of the DEC's that had had no knowledge of both or one parent's association with Voldemort.

"Fight," replied Mika.  "Just like we practiced down in the Chamber."

"But this is for real," mumbled Amanda, turning frightened eyes on him.

"Yeah.  Yeah, it is for real."  He reached out and touched the silver ring on her right hand.  "But as long as you've got that on, you'll be alright."

"I'm scared."

Mika smiled tightly and wrapped an arm about her shoulder gingerly.  He generally avoided contact with people.  His parent's had not been the kindest of people and had shown him no love.  His uncle had shown him even less but that was because he had always been gone.

"We all are," he whispered.  "But we'll be fine.  Don't you worry."

"Yeah," said a new voice from behind them.  "Don't worry."

Mika turned his head to see Sheyne there, her amber eyes glowing slightly in the dim lighting of the baggage car.

"Where's Harry?  And how'd you get in here?"

"Harry's on his way," replied Sheyne.  "And that's my secret."  She looked around at the others hiding out in the baggage car and frowned.

"Where's Ste?"

"Who?" asked Amanda as Mika paled.

"Cripes.  I didn't even check to see where he was…"

Sheyne paled severely and cursed under her breath.  Her form shimmered and a tawny lynx appeared in her place.  It leaped over Mika and Amanda's heads and ran for a hole in the wall of the car.

As soon as it was gone, the door of the baggage car slid open and four Death Eater's leapt in.

"_NOW!_" bellowed Mika, leaping up and firing hexes at them.  Amanda jumped right up beside him, casting a Shield Charm to defend them.

* * *

"_Alacer Casus!_" bellowed Harry, flicking his wand at a Death Eater.  The black-robed figure went down with a roar of pain as their legs were forced to collapse by the hex.  Hermione winced as she heard the sound of his bones breaking.

"Nice," muttered Draco as they passed the Death Eater by.  "_Come on, Weasley!_"

"Sod off, Malfoy," snarled Ron, jumping back from the Death Eater as they groped for his leg.  He kicked them in the head and hurried after the other three.  "Where exactly are we going?"

"Baggage car," said Harry.  "Mika has everyone in there."  He frowned and added softly, "At least I hope he does."

Ron scowled at him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that the Death Eater's might have already gotten them," replied Hermione softly but firmly.

"Let's hope not," muttered Draco.  He then looked at Harry and asked, "Where to next, oh-mighty-general?"

"Baggage car," repeated Harry.  "Let's hope Mika and the others are still there."

"Have I ever told you that I _love_ your confidence?"

"Thank you, Malfoy.  I appreciate that."

"Ever so welcome, Snape."

"Do you two _have _to banter _right now_?" demanded Hermione, glaring at the two of them.

Draco frowned at her and said, "Hey, I banter when I'm nervous."

"You banter whenever you can," quipped Harry. 

"That's not the point."

"_Caecus!_" bellowed a Death Eater, appearing suddenly out of one of the cab's.  Harry stumbled backwards in surprise, barely dodging the hex as he grabbed Hermione and pulled her to the floor.  Draco threw up a fragile shield in response and Ron…well, Ron yelled out the first spell that came to his mind.

"_Wingardium leviosa!_"

The Death Eater flew into the air, hit the ceiling with the crunch of breaking bone, then fell back to the floor.  They didn't move after that.

As Ron looked at the unmoving Death Eater in horror, Draco said, "Good job, Weasley.  We'll make a fighter of you yet."

"Is-is he dead?"

Hermione rose gingerly to her feet, helping Harry up before she went over to check the Death Eater's pulse.  "They're alive," she said.  "I don't know what bones broke but they're alive."

"Who is it?" asked Draco, earning an odd look from the other three.  "What?  I'm just asking."

Harry frowned and leaned down, jerking off the white porcelain mask.  Long white-blonde hair pooled on the floor and a sneer crossed Draco's lips.

"Well, well," he hissed.  "My own father.  If you were a girl, Weasley, I'd kiss you."

Ron pulled back from him and spat, "If you do it right now, I'll have to kill you."

"Like to see you try.  Shall we continue?"

"S'all we can do," said Harry, frowning down at the elder Malfoy.  "C'mon."

* * *

"We've got seventeen of them!"

"Seventeen!" snapped a Death Eater.  They glared at the unconscious forms of the teenagers from the baggage car before turning that glare on the other Death Eater's.  "There should be twenty-three!  Where are the other six!"

"We don't know, sir."

"Well then _find them!_  _I want them found!  NOW!_"

"Yes, sir!"

As the Death Eater's turned to clamber onto the train, Amanda sagged limply against Mika.  The white-haired young man looked at the fourth year hovering beside him then hugged the second year close.  Only the three of them had gotten out of the baggage car before the Death Eater's had overrun them.  Now they crouched underneath it, hoping not to be spotted.

Mika lifted his ring to his mouth and whispered, "Harry.  Harry, are you there?"

There was a soft crackling sound and then Harry's hushed tones came out of the ring.

"Yeah.  We're trying to get to the baggage car but the DE's are running in and out like rabbits.  What's going on down there?"

Mika sighed and said, "Don't come to the baggage car.  We got overrun."

"Shite," spat Harry.  "Is it just you?"

"Me, the Paine girl, and Dorbins.  You got a plan?"

"Working on it.  Have you seen Shey?"

"That psycho of a sister of yours?  Yeah.  D'you know she's an illegal Animagus?"

Harry chuckled and said, "She's something of that sort.  Hold on…"

There was a long pause in which Mika shifted uncomfortably and peered out at the Death Eater's stalking around the car above them.

"Okay," whispered Harry's voice after a few moments.  "Bloody DE's.  What was Shey doing?"

"Looking for that Muggle brother of hers."

"Ste?  He's not with you?"

"No.  I thought he was with you lot."

"No.  Bloody bollocks."  Harry sighed and said, "Look, Mika, get up to our car.  We're about four up from the baggage car.  Once we're together we can find Shey and Ste then get everyone else out."

"Gotcha, boss.  Be right there."  Mika lowered his hand then lifted it back up when he thought of something.

"Harry?"

"Eh?"

"What cab are you in?  And on what side?"

There was a short paused before Harry replied, "Second from the back.  Left side coming from the rear of the train."

"Right.  Open up a window for us."

"I'll do better.  Just hurry."

"I'll try."

Mika let his hand fall limply to his side and sighed, looking down at the twelve-year-old huddled beside him.  He gave her a gentle shake then turned to the fourth year Slytherin who was watching him with a nervous expression.

"Let's go," he finally said and started forward.

* * *

"So they're coming," muttered Draco, slouching down against the wall.

"Yes," replied Harry, drawing the shade over the door closed and locking it with a whispered charm.  He then pointed his wand at the floor and said, "_Cavum_."  A large, circular hole formed in the floor and he poked his head down through it, looking one way then the other.

"Can you see them?" asked Hermione.

"No," came Harry's muffled reply.  He pulled himself up and muttered, "I hope they didn't get caught."

"Let's hope that your sister hasn't gotten caught, either," said Draco.

"Aw, Malfoy, it sounds almost like you care," quipped Sheyne as she suddenly climbed up through the hole.  She then turned a dark look on her half-brother and said, "The bastard's have Ste.  Not to mention Parvati and the rest."

"What about Longbottom?" asked Draco.

Sheyne nodded slowly then blinked as Mika pushed Amanda up through the hole before hauling himself up.  Samuel Dorbins followed him, his left arm bloody from a hex.

"What happened?" asked Hermione, touching the fourth year's sleeve.

"Cutting Hex," replied the fourteen-year-old.  "It only scratched me.  It's nothing."

"It had better be nothing," said a voice suddenly.  "Lord Voldemort wouldn't want any of you damaged."

"_Papa!_" exclaimed Sheyne at the same time Harry yelped, "_Dad!_"

All of them just stared at the cloaked Death Eater's standing in the doorway of the cab.  The door was gone, simply not there anymore.  And the tall, dark-robed form of Severus Snape stood there, his face masked but his voice unrecognizable.

"Papa?" whispered Sheyne, staring up at her father in confusion.  "Papa, what are you…"

"Take them," ordered Severus, turning in a swirl of dark robes.  "Kill the Muggleborn and the Weasley boy."

"_NO!_" yelled Harry, launching himself to his feet and at the first Death Eater that tried to get in the door.  The Death Eater grabbed his wrists and twisted him around so he was trapped, arms crossed over his chest.  Harry snarled and stomped on the man's foot viciously.

Sheyne loosed a low snarl and leapt off of the floor.  Her body flowed into the smooth lines of a black panther as she soared through the air and hit the Death Eater coming up behind the one that had Harry.  The new Death Eater went down underneath her but two more leapt atop her as this happened.

"_Get…off…of…her!_" bellowed Draco, leaping to his feet and charging.  Hermione and Mika followed him, the bushy-haired girl throwing her weight against the Death Eater who held Harry.  He shoved her away violently.  She hit the wall with a _crunch_ and slid down to the floor beside Ron, who turned towards her with surprise and fear in his eyes.

"Mione!"

"_Bastard!_" yelled Harry.  His eyes flashed silver and there was a small roar of thunder as what looked like a bolt of lightning bolted down between him and the Death Eater that held him.  The Death Eater was thrown back and Harry turned on the Death Eater's that were trying to subdue his sister.

Draco and Mika were now unconscious.  So were Amanda and Samuel.

Harry was alone.

"To Hell with this," he snarled, lifting a hand to point at one of the Death Eater's.  Just as he was about the utter the words of a spell, something came down on the back of his neck, hard and fast.  He crumpled like a sack of flour, landing heavily on the floor.  Sheyne roared as she saw him go down before she herself was knocked unconscious.

Severus Snape looked coolly down at the unconscious forms of his two children and said, "Bring them.  Leave the Muggleborn and the Weasley.  We have what we wanted."

"Yes, sir," muttered the Death Eater's, beginning to bustle about.

And all Ron could do was watch as they took them.


	32. 32 :: June 20, 1996 :: Voldemort’s Stron...

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 32 :: June 20, 1996 :: Voldemort's Stronghold_

"Uhn…"

Draco moaned and lifted his head to feebly stare about him.  The last thing he remembered was…the Death Eater's knocking him out.  After he'd charged them when they were jumping on top of Sheyne.

Now why had he done that?

Draco shook his head and slowly pushed himself up onto his knees, looking around.  All of them were there – all of the Death Eater's children together in one room.  A very slimy, cold room that looked as though it had only been lived in once and that had been about two thousand years before.

Lovely.

"Hey, Snape," he called, reaching out to shake Harry gently.  "Wakey, wakey.  We have just arrived in Hell and I am all alone.  Wake up so you can join me in my misery."

"Sarcasm will get you everything," grumbled Harry as he rose slowly up into a crouch.  He looked around the room and said, "Hell, eh?  Looks more like the same place Voldemort used before."

"Before?"

"When he captured Shey.  Or should I say when your bastard of a father captured her."

"Exactly the word I'd use to describe him," muttered Draco.  "So, now what, fearless leader?"

Harry shrugged and replied, "No idea.  We're still talking to each other, so that's a good sign."

"Yeah, but for _how long?_"

"How should I know?"

"You're the big boss man.  You figure it out."

"Ass," grumbled Harry, looking around.  He then blinked and turned a horrified look on the blonde.

"_Where's Sheyne?_"

Draco's face went through three expressions in quick succession: surprise, horror, and rage.

"Fuck," he spat after a moment.

"How eloquent, Malfoy."

"Shut up, Snape."

* * *

"Shey?  Shey, wake up.  Please?  Please wake up.  I don't want to be alone…"

Sheyne made a mewling sound and tried to roll away from the weight on her chest.  Something bit into her wrists as she tried this and she groaned, opening her eyes.

Stephen pulled back, tears on his cheeks, as he saw his adopted sister's eyes open.

"Shey…you're okay."

"'Course I am, little bro," mumbled Sheyne, her throat feeling raw.  "What are you doing here?  Voldemort wouldn't want you."

"On the contrary, my dear Shifter, I do," purred Voldemort's voice from the other side of the room.  "You see, your adoptive brother is as important to me as you and your blood one."

Sheyne growled and focused on the form of the panther.  Pain shot through her veins like white-hot fire and she cried out, causing Stephen to grip her arms tightly.

"Shey!  Shey, what's wrong?  What can I do?  SHEY!"

"You can do nothing," purred Voldemort.  "The manacles holding her were designed for one such as she.  If she attempts to shift, she will feel pain like nothing else will cause."

"Bastard!" yelled Stephen eyes flashing.

"Now now," said Voldemort, taking a step forward.  He reached out a hand to caress Stephen's cheek, which caused the teen to jerk back.  "Is that any way for my own son to act?"

Sheyne's heart froze in her chest at those words, as did Stephen's.

"You're lying," spat Stephen.  "I'm not even a wizard."

Voldemort smirked.

"Did you think I would be foolish enough to allow that Muggle-lover to get a hold on my child?  It was much simpler to hide your powers until I was ready for you.  Now I am."

Stephen shook his head and reached out to grab Sheyne's hand, holding it tightly in his own.  He glared at the creature standing in front of him and ground out, "Where's your proof?"

Voldemort reached into his robes and pulled out a ratty looking piece of parchment, which he laid on the end of the stone slab Sheyne was strapped to.  He then leaned forward and said, "My proof is this: _Futeor fides._"  With that he turned in a swirl of dark robes, leaving the foster siblings alone.

"What happened?" asked Stephen, looking curiously at Sheyne.  The fifteen-year-old stared at the very different looking soul sitting beside her.  He still _looked_ like the Stephen she knew except his hair was now inky black like Harry's and his eyes were a deep maroon.  "Shey?"

"Look at the paper," whispered Sheyne, not wanting to tell him.  She guessed that the piece of parchment was his birth certificate – his _real_ birth certificate.  And she wanted him to see the information so he could believe it.

She already did.

Stephen frowned and reached out, picking up the ratty parchment.  He carefully unfolded it and began to read – dropping it almost immediately.

"No.  No, I can't…"

Sheyne tilted her head as best she could and caught a glimpse of what was written on the paper.

_Name: Derrick Oberon Riddle_

_Sex: Male_

_DOB: September 1, 1982_

_Mother: Anathema Device_

_Father: Tom Marvolo  Riddle_

"Oh, Ste," she breathed.  "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," mumbled Stephen.  He had his chin tucked against his chest, dark hair falling over his face.  "I'm okay.  It's okay.  This doesn't mean anything."  He lifted his head and gave her a look full of defiance and stubbornness.  "I'm _not_ a Riddle.  I'm an Outlaw.  You're my sister.  _Nothing'll_ change that.  Not even the truth."

"Nothing," whispered Sheyne, smiling at him and squeezing his hand.

Stephen smiled at her and hugged her as best he could, laying his head on her chest.  Sheyne smiled then turned somber as the question of escape came back.

And what had happened to Harry and the others?

* * *

"Is everyone alright?"

"Fine," grumbled a few voices, to which the rest just grunted agreement.  Harry sighed in relief and looked at Draco and Mika, who were sitting on either side of him.  Amanda Paine had curled up against the sixth year's side again, her head pillowed on his leg.  "Now what?"

"You're the leader here," replied Draco.

Mika frowned and said, "That doesn't mean we can't help in figuring out what to do next."

"You want to know what we do next?  We sit here and _rot_, that's what we do next.  Hey, Snape, what's up with you?"

Harry blinked and looked up at Draco in surprise.  He then turned his face away and said softly, "I can't believe he's helping them.  He's helping Voldemort."

"Eh?" said Mika, looking curiously at Draco.

"Professor Snape," whispered Draco.  He then looked at Harry and said, "He can't be doing it on his own.  You know that."

"Yeah.  But what…"  Harry looked lost as he lifted his head to look at the two other young wizards.  "What if I have to kill my own father to get out of here?"

Both Draco and Mika looked at each other for what to say.

"I couldn't tell you," muttered Mika.  "My uncle killed mine."

"And I'd be happy to do mine in," said Draco.  He sighed heavily and added, "We'll just have to hope it doesn't come to that."

Harry nodded feebly then leapt to his feet as a section of the wall on the other side of the room began to move.  It shifted into a doorway – a doorway through which two masked and robed Death Eater's appeared.

"Potter," one growled out, spotting him.

"Come with us," rumbled the other, motioning Harry forward.

"Snape," hissed Draco, rising to his feet.

"I've got no other choice, do I?" hissed Harry, arching an eyebrow at the blonde.  He then pushed past him and strode out of the room.  The two Death Eater's followed him, wands drawn.

"Damnit," muttered Draco as soon as they were gone.  He looked down at Mika and asked, "Now what?"

"I don't know," replied the sixth year tiredly.  "I really don't know.

"Great.  Now I know we're in Hell."

"Why's that?"

"Well, besides our ever-so-pleasant guards the strongest two pieces of our arsenal are missing.  One could be anywhere in this God forsaken place and the other is probably walking right into Voldemort's presence as we speak."

"That's not Hell," said Mika.

Draco arched his eyebrows at him.  "Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"What is it then?"

"The ninth level of Hell."

Draco glared at him and sneered, "Smart ass."

_Futeor fides – Reveal truth_

_Anathema Device – Taken from Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's novel Good Omens.  Hilarious book…  Anathema means 'detested thing'_

A/N: Don't ask where the bit about Ste being Voldie's son came from.  I think my muses are fucking w/ my mind again.

Atra: Now why would we do that?  You're mind's bad enough as is

*scowl*  Thanks, Atra.  You always make me feel better about myself.

Atra: *smirk*  Welcome.

Bryv: She was being sarcastic.


	33. 33 :: June 20, 1996 :: Voldemort’s Stron...

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else.  I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

Six Feet and Falling 

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 33 :: June 20, 1996 :: Voldemort's Stronghold_

"Good evening, Mister Potter.  Or should I say…Snape?"

"Snape," growled Harry, glaring defiantly at Voldemort.

"Ah, yes.  How…pleasant…of you to come visit us."

One of the Death Eater's standing behind Harry chuckled softly.

"Yeah, real pleasant.  You need a good decorator though."

Voldemort's smug expression wavered and he leaned forward onto the arms of his chair, fingers steepled.  "Now," he hissed, "tell me how it is that you and your little army are resisting my pull."

"And why should I do that?" spat Harry, crossing his arms over his chest.  "You wouldn't kill any of us.  You need us.  After all, we're your little army, aren't we?"

"Correct, Harry.  But…"

"Don't…call…me…Harry."

Voldemort smiled and said, "But you miss the point.  I don't have to kill one of my Children.  I have someone else that might interest you…Harry."

Harry scowled and growled, "Really."

"Yes."  Voldemort snapped his fingers and two Death Eater's dragged a third one into the room.  The third was hanging limply between them and Harry had a sudden sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

_No.  Please…not him…_

Voldemort smiled his evil smile and said, "You and the other members of your little army – my little army – may be important to me but one Death Eater is not.  Especially one that has betrayed me not once, but twice."  He smiled coldly and added, "How do you feel about losing your dear father, my boy?"

Ice picks of fear drove into Harry's heart as one of the two Death Eater's pulled back the hood of the third.  The white mask fell to the stone floor with a clatter and Severus' face was revealed, one cheek bruised from a fist.  His eyes were closed and from the distance he was away, Harry would tell if he was still alive or already dead.

Voldemort seemed to sense his last thought and pointed his wand at the spy.  "_Ennervate_."

Severus jerked slightly and opened one eye blearily.  He glanced about the room and was about to close his eye when he spotted Harry.  Then both of his eyes opened and Harry saw fear in them.

_Could be a trick…don't trust him…_

"Harry?  Harry, you have to get out of here!  Get…"

"Shut up!" snarled one of the Death Eater's, slamming his knee into the Potion Master's stomach.  Severus groaned and Harry's fists clenched as he fought against his urge to seriously injure and/or kill the man.  He fixed Voldemort with a menacing glare and growled deep in the back of his throat.

"Let…him…go."

"But what shall I get in return?" asked Voldemort.  "We cannot bargain unevenly.  Give me something in equal value to your father's life and I shall consider."

"No," spat Harry.  "You won't consider.  You'll damn well honor any bargain made or there won't be any."

"As you wish, Harry.  Now, for my end of our bargain…you want your father's life, I want you to dispel whatever charm you have that blocks you from my pull."

"No…" whispered Severus but Harry ignored him.

"So…you'll let him go if I let you take me?"

"Exactly."

"Everyone else goes free too."

"Now that was not part of our bargain…"

"I'm the strongest one, aren't I?" demanded Harry, eyes flashing.  "What do you need the others for if you have me?"

Voldemort smirked and said, "You strike a hard bargain, Harry.  Alright.  Your father and the members of your little army go free."

"All of them."

"All of them," agreed Voldemort.

"Including Shey.  And neither you nor any who follow your orders can attack them."

"Yes."

Harry frowned.  Surely Voldemort wouldn't let them go that easy…

_Well, just incase he double-crosses me, I suppose I can…_

"On Slytherin's honor?"

"Pardon?" said Voldemort.

"Slytherin's honor," repeated Harry.  "Do you swear upon Salazar Slytherin's honor to not go back on our bargain?  I know you don't want to soil mighty Slytherin's name."

Voldemort frowned for a moment then said, "On Slytherin's honor then.  Do we have an accord?"  He held out a white hand towards Harry, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Harry looked at his father, who was shaking his head at him and mouthing 'no.'  He then thought of Sheyne and Mika and Draco and all the rest of them.  They could all be free if he but agreed to this.

He had no choice.

"We have an accord," he said, reaching forward to take the pale hand.  He felt as though he could crush it with a simple squeeze.

"NO!" yelled Severus as the two Death Eater's began to drag him away.  "Harry, don't do this!  _Harry!_"

"I'm sorry," whispered Harry.  He looked at Voldemort and said, "You had better hold to your word, Voldemort.  If you don't, I swear that not even _you_ will be able to control me."

Voldemort smiled coldly and said, "I will take that into consideration."

Harry nodded and closed his eyes.  He could still hear his father raging as he was dragged away.  He didn't want him to do it.

Harry didn't want to either.  But he had no other choice.  He, even as an Heir of Slytherin and Merlin, couldn't take on Voldemort, all his Death Eater's, and the Death Eater's children.  He didn't know how.

"I'm sorry," he said again as he grabbed the silver ring on his right hand and pulled it off.  His mind immediately began to fog and he felt Voldemort's presence slipping in, like slime.  As Voldemort's laugh rang through his head, he dropped the silver ring into his pocket.

Then he was gone.

* * *

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!  HARRRRRYYYYYY!!!!!!_"

"We can't do anything, Sheyne!" yelled Draco, pulling the girl tight against him.  "Come on!"

"_NOO!_" yelled Sheyne, struggling to get away.  She still had no ability to shift as Voldemort had ordered her to leave with a set of manacles on like the one's that had bound her to the table.

Draco yelped as his grip on her slipped and he yelled, "Davids, help me!"

Mika looked up from where he was attempting to comfort a distraught Amanda then leapt forward, grabbing Sheyne about the waist and hauling her back.  The two of them managed to wrestle her to the ground, whereupon Mika sat on her.

"_NO!_" shrieked Sheyne, trying to shove them away with her manacled hands.  "Let me go!  He's still in there!  Harry's still in there!"

"_HE'S GONE!_" bellowed Draco.  "_HE WENT ACROSS!_"  He sobered and added softly, "And he's not coming back."

"_Nooooo_," moaned Sheyne, shaking her head.  "He has to!  _He has to!  HE'S MY BROTHER, DAMN YOU!_"

"I'm sorry," whispered Draco, reaching out to brush her hair off her face.  "I really am."

"He's my brother," whispered Sheyne, looking pitifully up at him, her eyes red-rimmed.  "Mine.  Not their's."

"I've got her," said Draco to Mika.  The white-haired boy nodded and got up, moving back over to Amanda.  Draco gently sat Sheyne up, brushing her tears away.  "I'm sorry," he repeated softly.

"Why?" whispered Sheyne.  "Why'd he do it?"

"I don't know," replied Draco.  "But we have to go."

"He did it for us," said a new voice softly.

Sheyne and Draco both jumped and turned to stare at Severus as he walked up to them, his expression the saddest it had ever been.

"Papa…" whispered Sheyne, looking at him with wide and newly tearful eyes.

Severus just nodded and Sheyne threw herself against him, unable to hug him because of the manacles.  He hugged her close, eyes closed.

"What did you mean, sir?" asked Draco.  "Harry did what for us?"

Severus looked at him with surprise in his eyes as he called Harry by his first name rather than his surname then replied, "He made a bargain with Voldemort.  Harry would join him if he let all of us go."

"Voldemort would never agree," breathed Sheyne.

"He made him swear on Slytherin's honor.  That is something Voldemort would not wish to taint."  Severus sighed and cast one last look back at the doorway they had come out of and said, "Let's go."

"Where's Ste?" demanded Sheyne, looking around for her foster brother.

"Right here," whispered Stephen as he walked up.  He ducked his head so his maroon eyes were hidden by his hair.  Sheyne noticed that he had his birth certificate clenched in his hand.

Severus noticed the fourteen-year-old's new look but didn't say anything about it.  He just put an arm around the two of them and walked away after the other children, Draco beside them.

Behind them in the doorway, Voldemort stood, a blank-eyed Harry beside him.

_A/N: Please don't kill me.  I'm going to fix it.  Honestly.  *ducks flying fruit and/or bladed objects*_


	34. 34 :: June 20, 1996 :: Hogwarts Time Un...

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter along with Scholastic and whoever else. I only own my characters so DON'T SUE!!!

_Six Feet and Falling_

_by Saerry Snape_

_Chapter 34 :: June 20, 1996 :: Hogwarts – Time Unknown_

"Severus!" exclaimed Dumbledore as the Potion's Master walked into the entrance hall leading a bedraggled group of teenagers.

"Albus," replied the dark wizard, nodding slightly. "I believe we have a problem."

Dumbledore frowned and looked at the faces of the teenager's. Blue eyes then met black in realization.

"Harry went over, didn't he?"

Severus nodded, his throat tight.

"He did it to save us," mumbled Sheyne, looking up from her father's side. "He…" She began to sob and Draco stepped forward, a worried look on his face. Severus looked at him for a moment then gently pushed Sheyne towards him.

"Take her," he finally said. "Mister Davids, take everyone to Gryffindor Tower. It is closest. The password should not have been changed from what it was last. A Gryffindor can tell you it."

"Yes, sir," said Mika with a nod. He pulled Amanda close then ordered the others to follow him. As he did this, Severus and Dumbledore began to walk off.

As Mika began to lead them to Gryffindor Tower, Draco hugged Sheyne close and walked her along, brushing her tears away with his thumb.

"It'll be okay," he murmured. "We'll get him back. I swear we will."

Sheyne sniffled and looked up at the blonde with red rimmed eyes.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she whispered.

"Who says I can't?" asked Draco.

"You just can't. Don't you understand, Draco? _He's gone_." She buried her face in his neck and sobbed, "_And he's never coming back!_"

Draco blinked as she called him by his given name and not his surname. He then wrapped his arms tightly around her and leaned his head against hers.

"Don't say that," he whispered. "We'll get him back. I swear we will."

"You promise?" whispered Sheyne in a petulant voice. "You really promise?"

"Yeah," said Draco. "I promise. I'll get him back for you, Sheyne. I _swear_ I will."

* * *

A half-hour later, the older members of the free Death Eater's Children gathered in the Gryffindor common room. The younger students (fourth year and below) had been put to bed and Draco had forced Sheyne into a bed as well. She needed time to recover from the days ordeal.

"So," said Mika as he looked at the others, "what's next?"

Draco sighed and replied, "I don't know. But…I promised Shey we'd get Harry back."

Terrence Malloy, a seventh year Ravenclaw, frowned at him.

"Since when have you been calling them by their first names, Malfoy?"

"Since _now_," snapped Draco. He ran a hand back through his hair, causing it to spike out wildly. "Now, look, we can't be fighting amongst ourselves. We've got to work together."

"What chance do we have without Harry?" asked Marissa Gibbs, a Hufflepuff fifth year. "He was the strongest of us."

Mika frowned and looked at Draco.

"She's right," he said.

Neville piped, "But we still have Sheyne. She's a Shifter!"

"But she won't be able to fight him," said a new voice. Every head in the common room turned to see Hermione standing in the portrait hole. Ron was hovering behind her.

"Granger," said Draco. "I'd have thought you'd have been sent home."

"We refused," said Hermione, stepping into the room. Her eyes were slightly red as though she'd been crying. "I almost went back but then…" She ducked her head.

"What?" asked Mika and Draco at the same time.

Ron looked at Hermione then said, "Mione charmed this…bauble…to track Harry. It…"

"It would tell me if he went across," whispered Hermione. She pulled a sphere the size of a baseball out of her cloak and cupped it in her palms. Inside it, darkness swirled. "It was green until…" She took a breath and finished, "Until he took off the ring."

"How do you know he took off the ring?" asked Terrence.

Hermione turned a slightly dark frown on the older boy.

"If the charms had failed, you'd all be mindless drones right now!"

"Good point," mumbled Terrence, turning away from her.

Marissa looked up at Hermione and said softly, "I'm sorry, Hermione."

"Its alright," whispered Hermione, tucking the bauble back into her cloak. "I guessed that he'd given himself up." She shook her head and added, "Noble idiot."

Draco said, "A noble idiot, indeed. And one I intend to get back."

"How?" asked Ron. "Is there even a coming back after going across?"

"There's always a way back," said Mika. "My uncle taught me that. Professor Snape found one."

"Professor Snape was forced into the Death Eater's," corrected Draco. "And we've got to believe there's a way back." He cast a worried glance at the staircase that wound up to the girl's dormitories. "_I've_ got to believe it."

"I'll help," said a quiet voice from a dark corner suddenly. Stephen stepped out of the corner, his head tilted downward.

Mika turned a frown on Draco and growled, "I thought all the younger years were asleep."

"He's not in the other years," said Ron. "He's Sheyne's adopted brother. Though I was certain he had blonde hair…"

"I did," said Stephen. He held up a slightly crumpled sheet of paper and continued, "It seems I'm not who I thought I was."

"There seems to be a lot of that going around," quipped Draco.

Hermione scowled in his direction then said, "What do you mean, Stephen?"

"Look."

He handed the paper to you and she looked at it before dropping with a surprised squeak. Her brown eyes went to Stephen's face before she took a step forward and lifted his chin up. Maroon eyes met brown and Hermione whispered, "Oh, Stephen…"

"What is it?" demanded Terrence.

Stephen pulled away from Hermione and replied, "I'm Voldemort's son."

Draco and Mika let out hisses of surprise at that statement. Everyone else just stared blankly.

"Then shouldn't you have a Mark too?" asked Marissa in a squeaky voice.

"Voldemort wouldn't have his son following him," said Hermione. "He'd have him at his side. I'm surprised he let you leave."

"He can't make me do _anything_," spat Stephen vehemently.

"If he cast Imperious on you, he could," said Mika.

Stephen turned an icy glare on the older boy and hissed, "That can be fought. Harry told me so."

"You're not skilled enough…"

"'Where there's a will, there's a way,'" quoted Stephen. "I've got the will. I'll find the way."

"He's got a point," said Draco.

Jonas frowned and said, "How do we know we can trust him?"

Hermione seemed to snap and she screamed, "_Just because he's Voldemort's son doesn't mean he's inherently evil, you dunderhead!_"

"Mione…" said Ron lightly.

"_Do you have something against Harry too? Tell me now so I can hex the Hell out of you!_"

"Mione!" yelled Ron.

"WHAT?!" snapped the girl, whirling to face him. A hand met her cheek on the turn and she stumbled backward into Stephen.

Ron gave her an apologetic look as he said, "This isn't the time to fight each other."

Hermione stared at him for a moment before she nodded feebly.

"I'm sorry, I…"

"I know," said Ron softly.

"I miss him."

Ron nodded while Stephen reached out to pat Hermione's shoulder. She smiled at both of them then looked at the others.

"So…what do we do?"

"We've got to get a ring back on him," replied Draco.

"If that will work," piped Marissa.

George Crow, one of the Slytherin's, spoke up.

"Someone could always try it. Take off the ring and put it back on to see if it would work."

The room seemed to still at these words. Draco looked at the sixth year and hissed, "That's madness, Crow. We could lose someone that way."

"Not if they can't move," said Hermione. "That just might work."

"But who's crazy enough to do something like that?" asked Samuel Wallace, a soft-spoken Gryffindor.

There was silence for a moment before Neville murmured, "I'll do it."

Draco blinked.

"Longbottom…"

"I'll do it," said Neville in a stronger voice. It was the sort of voice that offered no way to convince him otherwise.

Mika nodded and said, "Alright. Hermione, you cast the spell. Myself, Draco, Frobisher, Bradley, Findley, Wallace, Smalls, Crow, and the Weasley twins will stand guard to make sure Longbottom doesn't escape. Everyone else…get some rest."

There were several mumblings of consent and Stephen hissed, "You're going to do it _now?_"

"We need to know if this'll work before we plan anything. Longbottom?"

Neville, looking rather pale, nodded sharply and got to his feet. Mika gave him a short glance before he snapped, "Let's go!"

Stephen and Ron stood stiffly, watching as those who had been called left. Ginny suddenly wandered downstairs and started when she saw her brother there.

"Ron? What's going on?"

"Nothing," replied Ron, sighing lightly. "Go back to sleep, Gin. Come on, Stephen."

Stephen nodded numbly and followed Ron upstairs, leaving Ginny to stare after them in confusion.

* * *

"Okay, Hermione. Cast away."

"_Petrificus Totalus!_"

Neville's muscles locked up and he promptly fell over. Draco and Fred jumped forward and caught him before he hit the ground.

"Everyone draw your wands," ordered Mika. He then walked over to Neville and pulled off the silver ring. There was a whimper from Neville before his eyes faded slightly and became dull.

"Did it work?" asked Vicky Frobisher.

"I'd say let him up but that'd be a little crazy," voice George, echoed by his twin.

Mika didn't say anything. He just slipped the ring back onto Neville's hand and said, "Let's get back inside the wards. Weasley's, give me a hand, would you?"

Fred and George stepped forward and, with a little help from George Crow, the four boys were able to carry Neville back onto the grounds. Everyone then made a loose circle around the fifth year, their wands drawn and held at ready.

"Release him," hissed Mika to Hermione.

The bushy-haired girl nodded and snapped, "_Finite Incantatem!_"

All of a sudden Neville let out a shriek and sat up, his hands flying to his head. He began to sob a moment later.

Hermione rushed forward and knelt down beside her year mate. Vicky, the only other girl, moved forward and slowly rubbed the distraught boy's back.

"Neville?" queried Hermione, laying a hand on his arm. He jerked slightly then stared at her with wide eyes. "Nev?" inquired Hermione again.

"I heard him," whispered Neville in a hushed tone. "In my head."

"Voldemort," growled Mika.

Neville shook his head slowly and looked sadly at Hermione as he whispered, "No. _Harry._"

The twins paled and Draco hissed, "Shit." Hermione, meanwhile, just closed her eyes and ducked her head.

"Hermione…" began Mika but was interrupted as the bushy-haired girl abruptly stood up. She turned to face him and stared at him before turning slowly to look at Draco.

"Bring him back," she hissed in short, harsh tones before turning and heading towards the castle.

"That went well," said Philip Findley in a sarcastic tone.

Mika frowned and said, "This is bad. Neville, what _exactly_ did Harry say?"

Neville quivered and replied, "He-he was handing out orders."

"That's not good, is it?" asked Fred, looking at Mika. The white-haired boy shook his head.

"No," he replied, "its not. Its not good at all."

**A list of the DE children:  
****W/ Harry  
**

Adrian Adock – Ravenclaw 4th

Amanda Paine – Hufflepuff 2nd

Blaise Zabini – Slytherin 5th

Briana Wallace – Gryffindor 1st (youngest)

David Bradley – Ravenclaw 6th

Draco Malfoy – Slytherin 5th

Eleanor Branstone – Hufflepuff 3rd

Emma Dobbs – Gryffindor 3rd

Evan Smalls – Hufflepuff 7th

George Crow – Slytherin 6th

Harry Potter – Gryffindor 5th

James Stocks – Hufflepuff 2nd

Kevin Whitby – Hufflepuff 3rd

Marissa Gibbs – Hufflepuff 5th

Melissa Fawkes – Slytherin 4th

Mika Davids – Slytherin 6th

Neville Longbottom – Gryffindor 5th

Philip Findley – Slytherin 7th

Sam Sorbin – Gryffindor 2nd

Samuel Wallace – Gryffindor 6th

Sheyne Snape – Gryffindor 5th

Terrence Malloy – Ravenclaw 7th

Vicky Frobisher – Gryffindor 7th  
**  
****W/ Voldemort**

Adrian Pucey - Slytherin 6th

Charles Montague – Slytherin 7th

Gregory Goyle – Slytherin 5th

Michael Summers – Hufflepuff 7th

Millicent Bulstrode - Slytherin 5th

Pansy Parkinson - Slytherin 5th

Stephen Cornfoot – Ravenclaw 5th

Vincent Crabbe – Slytherin 5th

Willam Mace - Slytherin 3rd  
  
**********W/ Harry – Not DE's  
**

Alicia Spinnet – Gryffindor 7th

Angelina Johnson – Gryffindor 7th

Dean Thomas – Gryffindor 5th

Fred Weasley – Gryffindor 7th

George Weasley – Gryffindor 7th

Ginny Weasley – Gryffindor 4th

Hermione Granger – Gryffindor 5th

Jonas Filbrey – Ravenclaw 6th

Katie Bell – Gryffindor 7th

Lavender Brown – Gryffindor 5th

Megan Jones – Hufflepuff 5th

Michael Corner – Ravenclaw 5th

Morag McDougal – Ravenclaw 5th

Parvati Patil – Gryffindor 5th

Seamus Finnegan – Gryffindor 5th

Susan Bones – Hufflepuff 5th

Terry Boot – Ravenclaw 5th

Wayne Hopkins – Hufflepuff 5th******  
******


End file.
